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The Document Notes That A Number Of Docks Have Been Filled Or Partially ...

The document notes that a number of docks have been filled or partially filled (ibid: Shepheard, Epstein and Hunter section - pages unnumbered), suggesting that viability of dock-centred industry was already being questioned, although a local plan for Royal Docks (east of the Isle of Dogs: Wapping is to the west) from 1983 suggests it has potential for cargo handling and ship repair (Newham Docklands Forum and The GLC Popular Planning Unit 1983: 7).
This demonstrates not only a lack of consensus on private versus public funding, but that debates were also continuing over whether industry decline was inevitable, or whether there was still commercial potential for dock industries.
Political Developments
In May 1979, a Conservative Government was elected in the UK. It considered Labour Boroughs to be extravagant spenders of public money and barriers to the achievement of the overall aim of reducing public expenditure (Ambrose 1991: 9). It saw private investment and market forces as preferable routes to regeneration.
The Select Committee of the House of Lords supported the Government's proposed intervention in Docklands due to the importance of the area regionally and nationally. It recognised that local authorities focused on local needs only and did not have the funds for the housing and infrastructure of a more ambitious plan. The Docklands Joint Committee, meanwhile, was seen as limited in its capabilities due to lack of power (Ambrose 1991: 10), e.g. in land acquisition.
Previous developments had faced a number of difficulties, including the considerable cost of preparing land for development and lack of infrastructure (e.g. housing, schools, leisure facilities for workers), as well as uncertainty over transport plans (Lund 1982: Topic Paper 6).
It should also be noted that none of the five Docklands boroughs had populations entirely composed of Docklands residents. In the Newham Borough in 1981, there were 4,200 residents in Docklands areas, just 2% of the population of the borough as a whole (London Borough of Newham 1984: 5).
The solution was to set up an Urban Development Corporation (UDC) with the remit to cover the Docklands area, but with greater powers than the DJC had had and less requirement for consultation with the public and local councils. The London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) was finally sanctioned by the Lords in 1981.
Docklands Development 1981-1989
A Change of Strategy
The Government's policy regarding Docklands was to encourage private investment with the assumption that its benefits would ‘trickle down' into the local community. Through some investment of public money, it was predicted that many more times that investment would be forthcoming from private entities. This was a policy focused on leverage, therefore: a leverage ratio of 10 to 1 was anticipated (Ambrose 1991: 17).


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