please empty your brain below
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Always indebted to you for going to places on foot and capturing this sort of material for the archive. Seems like a good use of the land to me!
HHF | 04.12.25 - 7:07 a.m. | #
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You had me at Haddock Heights
Tunnel Bore | 04.12.25 - 7:22 a.m. | #
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I didn’t realise Smithfield was still trading. I thought it was already under redevelopment to become the new Museum of London.
Dan | 04.12.25 - 7:33 a.m. | #
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Albert Island looks like a port-executed cock and balls to me!
Roehamster | 04.12.25 - 7:34 a.m. | #
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Is that just one main road in and out, past the boxy flats? I dread to think how many commercial vehicle movements there might be through that residential area each day if and when both big markets become operational. First the planes and then heavy traffic.
Andrew | 04.12.25 - 8:20 a.m. | #
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No the road connections are fine, the "one main road in and out" being the North Circular connection to the Woolwich Ferry. No boxy flats will be inconvenienced.
diamond geezer | Homepage | 04.12.25 - 8:24 a.m. | #
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How does a footpath 'which is now extremely sealed off' differ from one that has just been sealed off?
Frank F | 04.12.25 - 8:27 a.m. | #
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Dan - the renamed London Museum is being developed in a long disused part of Smithfield adjacent to the operating meat market.
Jeremy | 04.12.25 - 8:32 a.m. | #
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One of the objections made against the Dagenham site was by Havering Council.They invoked the Royal Charter from about a million years ago that said that no market can be within 6 miles or so of Romford market. Hence no market in Ilford, but I think there is still one in Barking. The charter might just refer to retail sales though. This was at the behest of a local MP. It's Romford market that needs flattening.
Ackshley | 04.12.25 - 8:33 a.m. | #
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It used to be possible to explore the whole site, but in 2018 barriers went up and access was restricted. The website for the planned redevelopment still exists, but the £300m investment clearly didn't happen. The footpath along the Thames is now open again, after being closed whilst the lock gates under-went maintenance.
Local resident | 04.12.25 - 9:46 a.m. | #
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Reading this news yesterday reminded me that I need to plan a visit to Billingsgate, even though it means getting up at 0 dark o'clock to make it all the way over to Canary Wharf.
I did wonder what this news means for the Capital Ring. I wonder if the redevelopment means it will permanently be along the road, or is provision will be made for a riverside walk. Time (and planning documents) will tell.
Greg | 04.12.25 - 9:49 a.m. | #
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Can DG join Greg and document the fish market before it goes?
toby | 04.12.25 - 9:56 a.m. | #
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Meanwhile, the "New" Covent Garden Market at Nine Elms appears to be fully-functioning, despite flats encroaching into one small corner. I had an idea this, too, was moving out to the fringes.
dg writes: it's not
cau1khead | 04.12.25 - 10:09 a.m. | #
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A bit of trivia on Old Billingsgate Market – it was originally restored as the intended London HQ of Japanese bank Nomura. Legend has it, though, that the smell of fish persisted, despite much heavy-duty cleaning and disinfection. So they moved out again (eventually to a purpose-built block on the Thames nearby), and no other full-time tenants would take it on, with its haddocky whiff. That's why it's now used exclusively for short-term events
ChrisM | 04.12.25 - 10:23 a.m. | #
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I hope the safety case for the market buildings takes into account the fact it is at the end of a runway.
Considering recent sad events of the UPS MD11 freighter in the US, resulting in significant death and injury of the occupants of industrial buildings at the end of a runway.
That's not a "no", but maybe build a hefty berm on the airport side and a reinforced roof that could deflect a plane and debris.
MilesT | 04.12.25 - 12:00 p.m. | #
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…or don’t build the market halls on the part of the island directly under the flight path.
diamond geezer | Homepage | 04.12.25 - 12:03 p.m. | #
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It's a short connection to the A406/A13 junction at Beckton, but adding extra traffic to that signalised roundabout is going to make it even more congested.
Mikey C | 04.12.25 - 12:14 p.m. | #
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Went on a school trip to the old City based Billingsgate. I hear good things about the Full English with Scallops in the cafe at the current site.
ap | 04.12.25 - 1:14 p.m. | #
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Seems like a really good use for the otherwise derelict site, especially as the peak operating hours for the market will be before the airport is at peak capacity each day.
Plus a better use for the site at Dagenham Dock that takes advantage of its proximity to a rail station with fast access to central London (lets be honest, most of the traders and buyers will need to get to the site with vehicles). A shame there isn't an opportunity to deck over the HS1 line in this area and create an even larger 'new town' across the Chequers Lane site, the Peabody site, Beam Park development, Ford land, Freeport etc. and realign the flyover.
Green Ninja | 04.12.25 - 2:42 p.m. | #
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MilesT, I first came across the word 'berm' about 30 years ago in the context of a planning requirement to screen a semi-basement car park. It remains one of my favourite words, evoking as it does even older memories of Inspector Clouseau.
Wendy C | 04.12.25 - 5:50 p.m. | #
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As these things often turn out,a blindingly obvious in hindsight site.
For those interested in the safety aspects a read of the guidance concerning Airport Public Safety Zones may be instructive. Also see ancient arguments about the dangleway.
Michael T | 04.12.25 - 6:51 p.m. | #
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No need to worry about planes careening off the runway too much - City Airport recently installed a new surface at the eastern end of the runway that’s meant to stop any plane failing to take to the air from going too far out of its way, documented in a great deal of detail here.
blackheathman | 05.12.25 - 1:59 a.m. | #
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Any part of Albert Island could be hit if a plane was in real trouble during takeoff roll or short final for landing. Risk needs an expert assessment and mitigation; very low likelihood but high impact (literally).
MilesT | 05.12.25 - 9:27 a.m. | #
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I know that the new Spitalfields market in Leyton was supposed to be moving too to make way for more homes and a station on Ruckholt Road. Not sure if that’s still happening or was a bit of imaginative thinking from LBWF.
Dazzling Darren | 05.12.25 - 9:28 a.m. | #
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see the new site is *just* over 6 2/3 miles from Romford Market, so LB Havering shouldn't be able to object again
Nick | 05.12.25 - 2:57 p.m. | #
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Thanks Jim!
diamond geezer | Homepage | 08.12.25 - 7:45 a.m. | #
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