A new planning application by Squire & Partners seeks to transform a warehouse site near Canary Wharf into Mastmaker Village, featuring nearly 1,000 homes including a striking 43-storey co-living tower, extensive affordable housing, a SEND school, and community facilities designed to foster neighbourhood cohesion.
Squire & Partners has recently submitted a detailed planning application to Tower Hamlets Council for the Mastmaker Village development on the Isle of Dogs. The scheme, backed by developer Fifth State, proposes nearly 1,000 new homes, blending 843 co-living units with 153 affordable residences, the majority of which are intended for social rent. This ambitious project is designed to create a vibrant, community-focused neighbourhood, featuring a 155m² community hub, café, workspaces, and a landscaped pocket park, situated on a site bounded by Mastmaker Road and Alpha Grove near Canary Wharf tube station.
The current site comprises eight warehouse-style buildings, some occupied by the London East Alternative Provision (LEAP) Riverside School, an educational facility supporting children who struggle with conventional schooling. As part of the development plans, these existing buildings are to be demolished, with the students relocating to another LEAP-managed facility. There is also a provision within the scheme for a future specialist educational hub to be developed by the Department for Education, thus ensuring continuity of educational resources in the area.
The proposed architectural approach features three new blocks, including a striking 43-storey tower dedicated to co-living residences with units as compact as 21m². This tower will include communal amenities alongside public-facing facilities such as the café and co-working spaces. Adjacent to this is a 28-storey building set aside for affordable housing, which incorporates 121 social rent homes and 32 intermediate units, featuring both a roof terrace and a community space at ground level. The smallest of the three buildings is designated for the new school, accessed via a north-south spine through the development. The scheme prioritises vibrant street engagement with housing entrances planned along Mastmaker Road, while community spaces are designed to open onto the pocket park to encourage outdoor activities and social interaction.
This development is part of a broader vision to revitalise the local area with a genuine focus on community and inclusivity. Mastmaker Village aims to provide a substantial number of family-sized social homes—more than 80 according to detailed plans—and integrate public amenities that support both residents and the wider population. The inclusion of co-living units reflects a growing trend in urban housing to offer more affordable and flexible living spaces, particularly in high-demand London markets.
Fifth State has further fortified its commitment to the project through a joint venture with the site’s owners, Pirin, signalling a strong collaborative approach to redevelopment. Though the proposal is at an early stage, with public consultations slated for mid-2024, the plan also includes a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school, reinforcing the social infrastructure within the community.
The Mastmaker Village sits amidst a busy and rapidly transforming East London locality. Nearby developments like Ballymore’s Mill Harbour boast over 1,500 new homes, extensive education space, and commercial areas complemented by cultural venues and outdoor recreational facilities. These large-scale projects contribute to the Isle of Dogs’ evolving identity as a thriving residential and mixed-use district, underscoring a broad trend towards creating integrated, community-oriented urban environments.
Squire & Partners have a notable track record with similar schemes, having recently won approval for the complex £1.3 billion redevelopment of the former Stag Brewery site in south-west London after a decade-long planning process. Their experience in delivering mixed-use developments, including high-quality affordable housing such as Island Point, which features a range of family-size homes and community amenities, aligns with the ambitions for Mastmaker Village.
As the application moves forward, key considerations will include community engagement, design quality, and the effective integration of affordable housing and social infrastructure. The project aspires not merely to increase housing supply but to enhance community cohesion and provide spaces that residents can be proud of. With its strategic location near Canary Wharf and commitment to inclusive development, Mastmaker Village represents an important step in the continued regeneration of the Isle of Dogs.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/squire-partners-submits-plans-for-996-home-isle-of-dogs-towers – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.estatesgazette.co.uk/news/fifth-state-forms-jv-for-resi-led-isle-of-dogs-redevelopment/ – Fifth State has formed a joint venture with the owners of Mastmaker Court on the Isle of Dogs, E14, to develop a residential-led scheme. The site, owned by Pirin, comprises eight warehouse-style units and parking areas. The joint venture plans to provide 950 co-living homes, as well as an additional 150 homes. The proposal also includes developing a purpose-built specialist provisions school, community hub, commercial/retail spaces, and public realm. Public consultation exercises are scheduled for July 2024. The development aims to deliver new homes, including family-sized social homes, a new special educational needs and disabilities school, a new community hub, pocket park, and new workspaces. The project is in the initial stages, with further consultation planned later in the year. ([estatesgazette.co.uk](https://www.estatesgazette.co.uk/news/fifth-state-forms-jv-for-resi-led-isle-of-dogs-redevelopment/?utm_source=openai))
- https://mastmakervillage.com/home/ – Mastmaker Village is a proposed development on the Isle of Dogs, London, aiming to transform a brownfield site into a new neighbourhood open to the whole community. The plans include 153 affordable homes, with 87% designated for social rent, including over 80 family-sized social homes. A new community hub providing 161 sqm of floorspace for community use, a landscaped pocket park, 843 co-living homes (equivalent to 468 residential homes), a new café, and workspaces for public use are also part of the proposal. The site currently comprises eight warehouse-style units and associated car parking, with some units occupied by businesses and others by LEAP Riverside School. As part of Tower Hamlets Council’s relocation strategy, the small number of current students at LEAP Riverside School will be transferred to an alternative LEAP school. The site is allocated under Site Allocation 4.8 of the Tower Hamlets Local Plan, which requires the site to deliver new housing, new open space, and re-provide the existing alternative provision secondary school. The development aims to deliver a new neighbourhood that the local community can be proud of. ([mastmakervillage.com](https://mastmakervillage.com/home/?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.ballymoregroup.com/project/detail/millharbour – Mill Harbour, located on Mastmaker Road on the Isle of Dogs, is a development by Ballymore that will provide more than 1,500 new homes, 9,225 sq m of education space, and 4,552 sq m of commercial space. Set in extensive parkland, the development includes a new major cultural venue overlooking playgrounds, sports courts, two onsite primary schools, and a host of retail spaces leading onto the waterfront. The project aims to create a thriving new community in East London. ([ballymoregroup.com](https://www.ballymoregroup.com/project/detail/millharbour?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.muagroup.co.uk/projects/mill-harbour-london – Ballymore plans to develop Mill Harbour, located on Mastmaker Road on the Isle of Dogs, into 1,500 new homes, 145,000 sq. ft. of education space, and 63,000 sq. ft. of commercial space. Set in extensive parkland, the development features a new major cultural venue overlooking playgrounds, sports courts, two onsite primary schools, and a host of retail spaces leading onto the waterfront. The project is designed for flexible living with customisable apartments and a range of shared amenities. ([muagroup.co.uk](https://www.muagroup.co.uk/projects/mill-harbour-london?utm_source=openai))
- https://hdawards.org/scheme/island-point-2/ – Island Point, located at 443-451 Westferry Road, London, E14 3WH, is a development completed by Squire and Partners in 2020. The project comprises 173 high-quality affordable homes, including 20 one-bedroom, 40 two-bedroom, 77 three-bedroom, 26 four-bedroom, and 10 five-bedroom units. The development features a community pavilion, play area, and a central garden, with a design that references the surrounding historic architecture. The project was shortlisted for the Housing Design Awards 2025. ([hdawards.org](https://hdawards.org/scheme/island-point-2/?utm_source=openai))
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative was published on 17 July 2025. A similar report appeared on 9 July 2024, detailing Fifth State’s joint venture for a residential-led redevelopment on the Isle of Dogs. ([estatesgazette.co.uk](https://www.estatesgazette.co.uk/news/fifth-state-forms-jv-for-resi-led-isle-of-dogs-redevelopment/?utm_source=openai)) The earlier report mentions plans for 950 co-living homes and an additional 150 homes, which differ from the 996 homes in the current narrative. The earlier report also includes a community hub and public realm improvements, aligning with the current narrative’s mention of a community hub and landscaped pocket park. The current narrative includes updated data, such as the specific number of homes and the involvement of Squire & Partners, which may justify a higher freshness score. However, the earlier report’s details suggest that the current narrative is based on recycled content. The earlier report was published more than 7 days earlier, which is explicitly highlighted. The current narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which should be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The current narrative does not include any direct quotes. The absence of quotes suggests that the content may be original or exclusive.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from The Architects Journal, a reputable UK-based publication. This is a strength, as the publication is known for its coverage of architectural developments.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative describes a development proposal for nearly 1,000 new homes on the Isle of Dogs, including co-living units and affordable residences. The involvement of Squire & Partners, a reputable architectural firm, adds credibility. However, the lack of direct quotes and the similarity to earlier reports raise questions about the originality of the content. The absence of specific factual anchors, such as exact dates for public consultations, reduces the score and flags the content as potentially synthetic.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative appears to be based on recycled content from an earlier report published more than 7 days prior, with updated data included. The absence of direct quotes and specific factual anchors raises concerns about the originality and authenticity of the content. The involvement of a reputable publication and architectural firm adds some credibility, but the overall assessment is a fail due to the identified issues.
