London Mayor Boris Johnson has approved a huge high-rise waterside community scheme on the eastern edge of Canary Wharf which will have up to 3,610 homes.



The Wood Wharf scheme covers 4.9 million square feet and is aimed to extend Canary Wharf further eastward with 30 extra high rise buildings.



The first phase of the project will be delivered by 2018 to match the delivery schedule of Crossrail.



Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of Canary Wharf Group, said: “We are delighted to have secured the permission of the Mayor of London to proceed with the next phase of Canary Wharf.



“This new major district will reinforce Canary Wharf’s position into the future as one of the most exciting and vibrant places to live and work in London.



“The new phase of Canary Wharf will include up to 3,610 new homes, and 1.9m square feet of office buildings designed to accommodate the fast growing technology media and telecoms sector as well as financial and professional services firms.



“It will offer high street retail units to complement Canary Wharf’s existing retail offer, as well as affordable housing on site.

It will also include substantial new green parks and dockside walks, a library, a large GP surgery, a school for 420 children, a community sports hall and community space.”



A 57 storey cylindrical residential tower will form the focal point of the scheme and around 25% of the new homes created in the scheme will be affordable homes whilst a review mechanism has been agreed to increase this allocation to around 40% affordable housing.



Johnson said: “This vast development will transform a currently derelict brownfield site beyond all comprehension into a thriving new community with thousands of new homes and jobs.



“This is exactly the kind of scheme that we need to accommodate London’s booming population that is set to break through the nine million mark within the next decade.”