Rockwell has today begun construction on the scheme at 82 West India Dock Road which will include London’s largest and tallest Premier Inn hotel, alongside new homes, adjacent to Westferry DLR station. The £151m project will mark Westferry as a destination and rejuvenate the formerly derelict site.

The new mixed-use scheme, which sits between West India Dock and Limehouse Causeway, was granted planning permission in October 2018 by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. John Sisk & Son are the appointed contractors for the development, which is scheduled for completion in early 2022.

Rockwell will create the landmark scheme at Canary Wharf which will also include a restaurant, café, gym facilities and a landscaped pocket park, alongside communal gardens for new residents. Designed by architects SimpsonHaugh, the 30-storey mixed-use development is a gateway to Canary Wharf’s central cluster.

A marker for the area, the scheme will create significant employment opportunities in the hospitality and leisure industry and will create 66 new residential properties, of which 18 will be affordable homes, located within the same building – responding to the growing demand for affordable housing in the borough.

Donal Mulryan, Founder of Rockwell commented: “We are immensely proud to break ground on this landmark building which will be an important asset for the area, providing significant benefits for the local community with the creation of numerous jobs for local people, enhanced public realm and much needed new homes. We look forward to working with our contractors John Sisk & Son to deliver this high-quality hotel-led scheme, and look forward to delivering similar high-quality schemes in the future.”

Ajaz Shafi, Regional Managing Director at John Sisk & Son added:  “We are delighted to be working with the Rockwell team on this exceptional project. We have used smart thinking and an innovative approach to the design, planning and delivery of this high rise building on a tight footprint in London. Sisk works in close collaboration with all the key stakeholders to ensure we deliver quality projects, safely, which meet the needs of the community and our client. Our track record in this type of project and our strong supply chain partnerships in the region are key to the successful delivery of this development.”

Louise Woodruff, Property Acquisitions Manager – Outer London, Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants explained: “This is a landmark hotel for us as it will be the tallest Premier Inn in the UK and, aside from our hotels at Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, it will also be our largest in London at 400 bedrooms. It’s great to see construction begin on such a fantastic development which will make a positive contribution to Tower Hamlets by creating local jobs alongside new public areas and affordable homes.”