Re-imagining Cody Road: A greener, connected corridor

We are working with the London Borough of Newham, transport consultants Steer, and horticultural expert Errol Reuben Fernandes to design and deliver active travel and green corridor improvements along Cody Road in Canning Town. This two-phase project puts the Canning Town Enterprise Hub Strategic Regeneration Framework into action – first through design, then through delivery of a hands-on carbon offset demonstrator project.

This project follows on from our work on Strategic Regeneration Framework, developed in consultation with local businesses and community groups, which sets out a clear vision for one of the borough's most significant industrial areas. Positioned along the western edge of Newham on the River Lea, it is a vital cluster for logistics, manufacturing and circular economy activity. It also sits at the centre of a rapidly changing part of East London. Major development pipelines to the north, south and east are set to deliver thousands of new homes and jobs in the coming years, making the quality and connectivity of the corridor more important than ever.

The work forms part of a wider ambition to transform the Star Lane DLR Station gateway and the Cody Road corridor into a safe, legible and ecologically rich route. The first phase focuses on developing integrated proposals that upgrade the pedestrian and cycling experience, extends the green infrastructure network, and establishes a quality of place that co-exists with existing and future industrial operations. This will address the fragmented sections of the green corridor along Cody Road and its north-south spurs, North and South Crescent, introduce climate-resilient planting to improve canopy cover, biodiversity and air quality, and identify short-term greening interventions.

The second phase will see the delivery of a carbon offset demonstrator project, using circular economy principles to inform construction and material choices. This reflects a commitment to minimising whole-life carbon and embedding local commissioning into the delivery process from the outset.

Across both phases, the team will work in close partnership with the Gasworks Dock Partnership at Cody Dock, ensuring that greening and biodiversity interventions complement their ongoing work and match local ambitions for the area.

The project is funded by Newham's Carbon Offset Fund, which sets measurable environmental targets to determine how much carbon is captured through the delivery of greening improvements in the area.