The Essel Group has announced plans to develop a visitors center and leisure complex in the Silvertown district in London as part of the major multi-billion-dollar regeneration of the district initiated by The Silvertown Partnership. The complex, designed to celebrate India's culture and history, would include a brand new luxury hotel, among many other facilities.
Led by Chairman Subhash Chandra, Essel Group, an Indian business conglomerate, is in talks to take over the redevelopment of the entire 62-acre brownfield site in east London's Royal Docks. A proposal has been submitted to the Greater London Authority (GLA) to purchase the land from the current developers, The Silvertown Partnership, a consortium consisting of Chelsfield Properties, First Base and Macquarie Capital.
If the plans are approved, the Essel Group's proposed development of Silvertown could see the cultural center open by 2023, subject to approval by the GLA; a decision is expected this month. Essel will work in partnership with HPW Architects, who will lead on design, and Mace, the construction company behind The Shard.
According to the Essel Group and HPW Architects, the proposed cultural center would sit on 14 acres at the heart of the Silvertown project. Spanning 2.5 million square feet, the center would include a theater, retail outlets, restaurants, a botanical garden and a luxury hotel, along with museums, art galleries, and interactive experiences that focus on the origins of the Indus and other ancient civilizations.
The center will also provide space for mediation, yoga and dance, as well as a spa and wedding venue. A conference center, exhibition facilities and a global news and TV production studio are also proposed.
The Essel Group said the project could deliver 5,000 jobs in the East End and provide a boost to the economy. The £3.5 billion (approximately $5 billion) Silvertown redevelopment, which is already underway, will transform a former industrial area in Newham between Canary Wharf and London City Airport, and create more than 3,000 homes, including affordable housing.
For more information, visit www.esselgroup.com.
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