London Mayor launches City Hall development arm with £100m investment

The Mayor of London has unveiled a new City Hall development arm and committed £100 million to the regeneration of Silvertown in the Royal Docks, marking a significant shift in how the Greater London Authority (GLA) supports housing delivery across the capital.

The investment will see the GLA become a 50 per cent shareholder in the Silvertown Partnership alongside developer Lendlease, enabling City Hall to take a direct role in the delivery of one of London's largest regeneration projects.

The move forms part of the Mayor’s new City Hall Developer initiative, which aims to unlock complex development sites through public sector intervention, joint ventures and innovative financing arrangements. Silvertown is the first major project to be brought forward under the model.

Located within the Royal Docks, the 60-acre brownfield site is set to deliver 7,000 homes, including 1,800 affordable homes, alongside commercial space, public realm and supporting infrastructure. Approximately 1,000 homes are expected to be under construction by 2028.

The initiative has been described by City Hall as being inspired by Singapore’s state-led approach to housing delivery, where public sector involvement plays a central role in bringing forward large-scale development. The Mayor announced the investment during a trade mission to Singapore and Japan, where he has been promoting London as a destination for international investment.

For the development sector, the announcement represents a notable evolution in the GLA’s role, moving beyond funding and facilitation towards direct participation in development partnerships.

Sadiq Khan said the investment would help unblock sites, accelerate delivery and increase the supply of affordable housing across London.

He said: “This is a new era for housebuilding in London, with City Hall investing directly in new homes, unblocking stalled sites and speeding up development.”

The Silvertown scheme has long been viewed as one of the capital’s most challenging regeneration opportunities, with successive attempts to bring forward development on the site over several decades. A revised masterplan approved by Newham Council last year has provided the framework for its transformation into a new waterfront neighbourhood.

The first phase of development is already underway and will deliver more than 1,000 homes, with over half designated as affordable housing. The wider masterplan includes around 7 million sq ft of residential, commercial and public space, together with improved transport connections and public realm.

Ed Mayes, executive director of development for the Silvertown Partnership, said the investment would provide the certainty required to accelerate delivery on a site that has remained dormant for decades.

The investment also forms part of a broader regeneration strategy for the Royal Docks, where the Mayor has set out ambitions to deliver more than 36,000 homes and create 55,000 jobs across a series of major development sites.

For London's regeneration sector, the announcement signals growing public sector willingness to take a more active role in development as viability pressures, infrastructure requirements and market challenges continue to affect the pace of housing delivery.