Canada Water Vision and Masterplan

In 2003, Urban Strategies, on behalf of The British Land Company, won an international competition to regenerate the 40-acre Canada Water site in London’s Docklands. Once an active dock until 1969, the area had declined into underused land, derelict buildings, and a fragmented road network. Urban Strategies led an international consultant team to deliver a bold vision, master plan, and implementation strategy to transform the site into a vibrant mixed-use community.

The master plan balanced the aspirations of local communities with the commercial opportunities of the site’s proximity to Central London and Canary Wharf. In collaboration with Southwark Council and the community, the eastern portion of Canada Water has now been successfully delivered. The result is a lively, sustainable neighbourhood anchored by a new public plaza with a library, retail, and community facilities adjacent to the Canada Water Underground Station. The first phase has delivered over 750 housing units (including 25% affordable and 10% key worker units), now home to over 1,500 residents. At the heart of the redevelopment is the historic Canada Water basin, reimagined as a protected wetland and focal point of the public realm. A carefully articulated network of tree-lined streets, squares, and waterfront promenades ties the district together, reconnecting Canada Water to its wider urban context and creating a model for community-focused regeneration.