London’s development boom has meant huge swathes of the capital have become unrecognisable over the past 10 years, with office and residential towers making canyons of London’s streets.
Using Google Street view, EG takes a look at some of the capital’s development hotspots and what progress has been made since 2008.
(Note: Google Street view is to 2017, so not completely up to date.)
1. Marsh Wall, looking east
The Isle of Dogs has been one of the hotspots of building in London, with new towers racing up and even leading to land reclamation in the docks themselves.
2. A view south along Nine Elms Lane
Residential schemes from EcoWorld Ballymore and Berkeley along Nine Elms Lane have completely changed the once quasi-industrial route leading from Vauxhall station to Battersea Power Station.
3. The City Road looking south
Less well documented but equally dramatic, a number of residential towers along the City Road have transformed the route between Angel and Old Street. More are still to come.
4. Victoria
LandSec’s redevelopment of Victoria has been one of the largest projects in the capital and years in the making. While it is now drawing to a close, in 2008 redevelopment of the island site was just beginning.
5. Aldgate looking west towards the City
Changes to the City’s skyline have been equally dramatic. In 2008 just the Gherkin was visible when looking east from Aldgate. Now it is hidden behind other towers.
6. The Heygate
And for those who have forgotten what Elephant & Castle used to look like, the looming bulk of the Heygate Estate still dominates the south London streetscape in 2008, before Lendlease’s redevelopment had begun.
7. City Island
To the east, at the mouth of Bow Creek, EcoWorld Ballymore’s City Island now houses thousands of new flats on the once industrial peninsula.
8. Paddington
To the west, the redevelopment of Paddington at Merchant Square had barely begun in 2009.
9. King’s Cross
And though Google’s building may still not be finished at King’s Cross, this image from 2008 shows how much the area has changed between Granary Square and the station.
10. Stratford High Street
Finally, Stratford High Street, before and after the Olympics, shows how much development has emerged, even away from the Olympic Park.
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