Leamouth Area Guide

The forgotten neighbourhood of Leamouth may be dated back to 1297, however this information is not widely known. While large-scale new construction has been completed and new highrises, office space, and a new home for the English National Ballet have all been constructed, that is changing because of that. Today, however, this is still a very colourful, lively neighbourhood where many intriguing sights and noises may be found.

History of Leamouth

Poplar had Orchard House as one of its most remote and least accessible areas for over 150 years. Two peninsulas result from the junction of the meandering River Lea (which flows into the River Thames here) and the Thames.

Poplar was severed from the rest of the city by the construction of the East India Docks in 1803–6, which created significant accessibility problems. In spite of this not negatively affecting industrial development in the district, this allowed for the slow but stable emergence of a low-incomLeamouthe community whose presence outside of the area was almost undetectable.

The neighbourhood was destroyed in the 1930s, when houses that were dilapidated or otherwise deemed undesirable were demolished and their residents were relocated elsewhere. Industries located within the local neighbourhood, on the other hand, have not relocated to another location, and the number of such businesses has decreased, but the neighbourhood is still predominantly an industrial or business district now, dominated by the large modern refinery located in Orchard Place.

Getting Around Leamouth

On the north, Plaistow borders Leamouth; on the east, Canning Town is located across the Thames; on the south, the Thames forms the border; and on the west, Poplar is located nearby. The neighbourhood is made up of two small peninsulas that are divided from the rest of Poplar by the river and the portion of the East India Docks that is left. As a result, residents in this area perceive themselves as belonging to Canning Town rather than to Poplar. The northern peninsula is called Goodluck Hope, because of one of the nearby flows of the Lea River.

Previously, there was little vehicle access on the Leamouth Peninsula, as opposed to the rest of Poplar, now the Lower Lea Crossing on the A1020 splits the peninsula into two halves: the A13 local bypass.

For the first time in history, the London Buses network has provided public transit service to Leamouth by starting and ending on Orchard Place via the D3 route which launched in 2017.

The N550 was relocated from Leamouth to offer night links between Canning Town and Blackwall whenever access to Canning Town station is limited.

Canary Wharf: 1.8 miles away 

Southwark: 4.9 miles away

Westminster: 6.9 miles away

Shoreditch: 5.5 miles away

Home and Market Trends

Housing is a lot more numerous and accessible in this location than in other neighbourhoods. Studios, one-bedroom apartments, and even two-bedroom apartments are easy to locate. A large number of these apartments are in warehouses that once served the docks, which have been converted to residences. Not many single-family houses are available, but occasionally, a property comes on the market that suits that purpose.

The Glenn Howells London City Island project is a big redevelopment project that will produce 1,706 new housing units.

Local Life in Leamouth

It can be a boring or uninteresting place if you live in Leamouth. But, on the other hand, every day new developments appear that have transformed the surroundings into a more modern setting. It is simple to get to numerous places in London, such as Canary Wharf, The City, Shoreditch, and elsewhere, using public transportation.

Open Spaces

Bow Street Ecology Park used to be an ironworks, a coal dock, and a shipyard, but it has become a small yet environmentally-friendly paradise in the heart of London.

In 1994, unexpected plants were discovered in the region, therefore a park was constructed. Though ships may have docked in the shipyard prior to their introduction, regardless of their origin, the calm of the surroundings makes this a wonderful place to escape the stresses of city life.

Catch some of the wading birds, butterflies, dragonflies, and newts while you’re here.

Arts and Recreation

The new site for Arebyte Gallery at London City Island allowed it to host digital artwork by new artists. Work done by artists who challenge and push the boundaries of collaborative creation of art is presented in the Gallery Arebyte.

Be sure to pay a visit to this fantastic digital/interactive art gallery if you are interested in these topics.

English National Ballet’s 10,000-square-meter space provides the cultural anchor for London City Island, bringing other cultural organisations including London Film School, and many smaller arts organisations, including Trinity Art Gallery, The Woods podcast and music recording studio, to the area. The many facilities and services found on the island, such as The Grocer restaurant and cafe, Arts Club and gym, enrich life on the island.

Eating and Drinking

You won’t find many dining or entertainment establishments at the moment, but you’ll be close to all the Canary Wharf eateries and culture. A redevelopment project spearheaded by Glenn Howells is getting underway in London, UK, with the intent of creating over 1,700 houses, shops, restaurants, cafés, and an arts facility that includes the English National Ballet and London Film School.

Crime and Safety

Leamouth has a violent crime rate that is average for London, and a property crime rate that is average as well.

Local Authority

The local council of Tower Hamlets oversees the town of Leamouth.