ABSTRACT
The redevelopment of London’s Docklands was not a painless affair and was controversial long before the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) was established. The creation of the LDDC in 1981 was the culmination of a decade of competing plans for the future of London’s dock areas. That something needed to be done to rejuvenate the 5,100 acres of land in the heart of the capital was never at issue. The problem lay in determining what kind of regeneration should occur; to what extent Docklands communities should be consulted; the balance of public and private investment; and whether redeveloping the area was a “national” concern, the preserve of Government, or a local matter for the five London boroughs that had dock areas within their boundaries. The debate went on for more than a decade as Docklands’ fate became embroiled in conflicting political visions, with the production of one detailed plan after another. This chapter briefly describes these competing plans and their impact, the circumstances that led to the creation of the LDDC and the experiences of those who worked in the Corporation in its early phases.
