Construction Hotspots Along the London Marathon

This year, I will be running the London Marathon in support of Contact, the charity for families with disabled children. But I won’t just be running, I also intend to have a good look at all the latest London construction projects along the way. With London scooping up nearly a quarter of all construction contract awards in 2019, there’s bound to be some interesting construction projects underway or soon to start as I make my way along the Thames. Here’s what I know so far.

Miles 3-4: Royal Arsenal Riverside, Woolwich

Soon after the start, while I’m just warming up, I’ll come across this new mixed development in Woolwich. Several of the developments are already completed, yet there is still plenty of ongoing construction: a new arts and cultural area is currently being built, and the location is expecting a new Crossrail station as well. 

Mile 17 – North Quay and Canary Wharf Crossrail Station

Speaking of new Crossrail stations, the landmark station planned for Canary Wharf will be one of the most interesting sites along the way. Built under 18 metres of water and sitting under a five storey, mixed-used development called Crossrail Place, the futuristic station certainly attracts attention as it undergoes the final months of construction. 

As a busy area for London construction projects, the station may see some new neighbours as well. Canary Wharf Group is planning to submit a planning application for eight new mixed-use buildings at its North Quay site in the next few weeks, which will be a project to watch for the future.

Mile 19 – Silvertown Tunnel

Between mile 19 and 20 I’ll be as close as the London Marathon gets to the proposed £1bn Silvertown Tunnel. Although I won’t actually see the site itself, this is another large London infrastructure project that we’ll be keeping a close eye on this year. Having been awarded to a consortium made up of Ferrovial subsidiary Cintra, and Bam PPP PGGM after some legal challenges, construction work is expected to start this year and complete in 2025. 

Mile 20 – Tower Bridge Court

As I am starting to reach the home stretch and see the iconic towers of Tower Bridge, I’ll be also looking out for the building that will soon be called Tower Bridge Court. Set to be one of the greenest offices in the capital, the major refurbishment works – which include adding two new floors – will turn this building into a fully electric, zero-carbon building. 

Mile 23 – 6-8 Bishopsgate and 100 Leadenhall Street

A little further on and I’ll start to enter skyscraper territory. The 203m-tall building at 6-8 Bishopsgate/150 Leadenhall Street is currently under construction, featuring two stacked blocks that will house offices and retail units, as well as a public viewing gallery. Not much further away is the proposed site of 100 Leadenhall Street, where a 263m-high wedge-shaped tower of glass and steel is planned to be built. 

Mile 24 – 18 Blackfriars and Bankside Yards

The last of the construction projects on my route will be these two. 18 Blackfriars is another mixed-used development that will have 227 new homes, a 550-bed hotel and 61 affordable housing units. And not too much further is the huge 5.3-acre Bankside Yards Development. Construction of the six new buildings started in 2019, with more offices, retail outlets, leisure facilities and residential apartments to come. 

Going the Extra Mile

By the time I reach the finish line, I will no doubt have seen most of the construction projects in London – at least those along the marathon route – and be ready for a sit down, to say the least. It may be an unorthodox way of collecting leads for construction jobs in London, but we go the extra mile at Maxim to find the best construction jobs for our clients. You can reap the fruits of my labours by signing up for our job alerts to be notified about the latest London construction projects, or send us your CV along with the locations you’re interested in. 

If you would like to sponsor me and help continue the brilliant work that Contact does, please see my Virgin Money Giving page.

About the Author

Richard Poulter
Construction Recruitment Director, Hong Kong
I am responsible for the recruitment business in Hong Kong, Asia, and the Middle East. I was a civil engineer and project manager for 15 years before becoming a construction industry recruitment consultant in 2004. I am based in the Hong Kong office and specialise in placing professionals in engineering, project management, planning, HSEQ and risk.
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Email: richard@maximrecruitment.com