The Greenwich Peninsula will be transformed from a derelict brownfield site, it is a place in the making. A 15-20 year regeneration scheme will create a new urban district for London including residential and business communities, health, education, leisure and retail facilities. The presence of the river and shifting qualities of light reflecting from the water, and the big sky, create a dramatic background for the new developments.
Greenwich Peninsula was once marsh land which was subsequently turned into farmland and then market gardens. With the nineteenth century came industrialisation and the site became the home of manufacturing ammunition, chemicals, steel, submarine cables and soap. And just over 100 years ago it became the site for the largest gasworks in Europe.
Today new developments include The O2, North Greenwich station, Millennium Primary School, ecological Sainsbury’s store, Greenwich Millennium Village and Greenwich Yacht Club. Park areas and natural environment including the Ecology Park are an essential part of the landscape.
There are two existing high profile works on the Peninsula; Richard Wilson’s A Slice of Reality and Antony Gormley’s Quantum Cloud which will form part of the ‘collection’ of art works.