Floating Residential

Thousands of people already live on the water in London, in boats and houseboats. There are long waiting lists for people to move into existing residential moorings at places like South Dock and Limehouse Basin. Living on the water offers a connection to the elements and nature that many people value, and it can be a more affordable way to live than on the land.

The water at Royal Victoria Dock West is large enough to try something new for the UK. A successful floating community needs to work for a wide range of people, at different stages of life, on different incomes and with different lifestyles. We think the best way to do that is a mix of moorings for large Dutch’ barge style’ boats as well as purpose-built floating homes, which could range from one to three bedrooms.

Before committing to the project, we would agree a set of standards that every boat must meet, both in how it looks and in its environmental performance. All boats have to come in through King George V Lock, which Royal Docks Waterways controls, so only boats that meet those standards would be let in. This is different from the river or canal network, where almost any boat can moor.

It is too early to confirm a design life, but our aim is for floating homes to last as long as homes on land. That means choosing strong, low-maintenance materials and systems built for the long term.

The “pier house” is the floating, flexible community space that we are proposing for the project, and we’re interested in what sorts of facilities people think it should have. Our current thinking is that is should be approximately 100 square metres, roughly 14 metres long and 7 metres wide, but more work is needed before this is fixed.

We will follow the Environmental Strategy we published in February 2026, which you can read at royaldockswaterways.com. If the project goes ahead with Royal Docks Waterways as developer, we will meet or exceed that strategy. If another developer takes it forward, we will hold them to the same strategy.

Yes, there will be lighting on the boardwalk, which will need to support the Environmental Strategy and City Airport requirements, as well as improving public safety and comfort.

The boardwalk and the wider Residential development will be designed to reduce antisocial behaviour along the Britannia Village dock edge. That includes designing out places where people jump into the dock and bringing in permanent residents who have a stake in the area. With more people coming and going on the dock edge there would be more eyes on the area. This “passive surveillance” will help discourage antisocial behaviour.

One of the early ideas, based on what local people told us, is to keep buildings low so the open sky over the dock is preserved. The design is still at an early stage, and we want to hear your views on this.

We want Floating Residential to work for a wide range of people, at different stages of life and on different incomes. We are exploring with the council’s planners as well as housing providers, what the best approach to affordable housing is, bearing in mind it is quite a unique, floating situation.

Yes, the Floating Residential project is about people living permanently on the water, not just visiting. Residents will be part of the local community so they will pay council tax and be eligible to vote etc.

The trees are supported by pontoons that sit in the water, with an inbuilt planting trough to accommodate the tree root zone. Small and medium sized ornamental trees can be grown this way.

We’re still working this out and nothing has been decided. But if something like the current illustrations went ahead, then it could end up being approximately 100 “units”, made up of a mixture of boats and homes. To put that number in context, there are approximately 1,000 homes in Britannia Village, 360 in Hoola towers and 700 in Capital East Phase 1.

The Environmental Strategy sets high standards for what we need to do and we are committed to meeting them, improving biodiversity and access to nature for everyone. This includes the infrastructure itself but also how it is monitored and managed over time.. A community living on the water also means more people caring about the dock every day. We would welcome groups of local residents (whether from the land or the water) playing a role in the upkeep of garden elements perhaps through a “Friends of Royal Victoria Dock” or similar.

The areas available for the Royal Victoria Dock West Vision are within the lease area of Royal Docks Waterways, with the Greater London Authority as freeholder.

The feasibility study started in July and runs for nine months. It will help us decide whether, and how, to take forward a first phase. The wider Vision for Royal Victoria Dock West is targeting early phases of delivery within three to five years.

Yes. The water will stay open for people to enjoy. The Vision includes new facilities for the whole community, including a floating lido as part of Floating Wellness. Some existing activities, such as wakeboarding, may need a new home, and we are working with the providers to find a suitable location elsewhere in the Royal Docks.

Royal Docks Waterways is a non-profit business with a board that includes anchor institutions including the GLA, London Borough of Newham, Excel London, London City Airport and University of East London.

It has built up reserves through its trading activity and will allocate its own funds to support the early stages of the Vision. In parallel, it will seek to work with third-party partners and investors to bring forward the Priority Projects in line with the Vision.

Any funding approach will be guided by public-interest objectives, long-term stewardship of the docks and the requirement to reinvest surpluses back into the Royal Docks.

The project is designed for the whole community, not just new residents. Early ideas include extending the dock edge so more people can get closer to the water, and shared community facilities for everyone who lives here. Floating Residential is one part of a wider Vision that also includes a large-scale floating Park and a year-round Wellness destination, with heated pools, saunas and improved, safe access to the dock water.

Please email rvdw@royaldockswaterways.com to set up an online meeting.