London’s Thames Gateway huge opportunity for eco-industries

The area has a reputation as an industrial wasteland but, in truth, has a huge number of brownfield sites ripe for re-development.

There are now a raft of incentives to attract clean tech companies to the area, including plans to establish the city’s first green enterprise district.

Speaking at waste industry event Futuresource this week, John Williams, chief executive of Gateway to London, told of the unique opportunities presented by the area.

He said that planners were not just prepared to keep an open mind, but were looking favourably at applications from those wanting to set up clean tech businesses on former industrial sites and elsewhere in the district.

There were also strong backing from City Hall and the boroughs keen to make this work.

A number of funding streams are also there to be taped into, he pointed out, including potential investment and favourable loans.

“There are some quite chunky numbers being bandied around in support of the low carbon sector,” said Mr Williams.

“The important thing is the size of this opportunity and there are serious policy and legislative drivers behind it.”

Sam Bond