Elizabeth line, Northern line extension, Barking Riverside: TfL reveals housebuilding figures

Transport for London (TfL) has revealed the Elizabeth line supported the delivery of tens of thousands of new homes along its route between 2008 and 2021, as the number of people living near key stations grew significantly during its construction.

In its annual update on the mayor’s transport strategy, published ahead of a board meeting on June 7, TfL says a total of 55,000 new properties were built within a kilometre of Elizabeth line stations, with the most completions recorded in Greenwich, Ealing, Tower Hamlets, and Newham.

The report adds that over the same 13 year period, the population within that same 1km radius grew by 35%, nearly three times the 13% growth recorded across London as a whole.

“Concentrating population growth in areas located close to the public transport network ensures that London is supporting sustainable growth,” it notes. “There has also been additional public realm, placemaking and town centre improvements along the route.”

In addition to housing, 55,000 full-time jobs are also predicted to have been created during the construction of the line.

More than 20,000 students are estimated to have been trained, with over 1,000 apprenticeships provided.

The report says there is early evidence that employment growth in areas close to the Elizabeth line may be due to firms relocating in anticipation of its opening in May last year.

The impacts of other TfL projects on homes and jobs

Beyond the Elizabeth line, the report provides updates on how other works have impacted, or are predicted to impact, the number of properties and jobs created in local areas.

They are:

• Northern line extension, and the opening of its new stations at Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms in September 2021 (20,000 new homes, 25,000 new jobs)
• Elephant and Castle station capacity upgrade (yet to happen, with work currently being done regarding procurement arrangements for new tunnels. Predicted to result in 7,500 new homes and 10,000 new jobs)
• Barking Riverside extension (ongoing, though the station is predicted to have unlocked 6,800 of the 10,800 homes in the development’s masterplan)
• Silvertown Tunnel (the report says land will become available for “major regeneration schemes”, including the Thameside West development on the north side of the river, with up to 5,000 new homes dependent on a new DLR station)

The report also lists several schemes being supported by the government’s housing infrastructure funding, such as planned improvements to the London Overground.

According to TfL, phase one of this work, which would involve increasing the capacity of the line between Dalston Junction and Surrey Quays, enhancements at Canada Water bus station, and an expansion of Surrey Quays station, will unlock the development of 7,700 homes. Phase two, which would provide a new station at Surrey Canal Road and increase in trains, would unlock a further 6,300.