The project will reuse construction waste to build new homes in the Royal Docks and aims to divert at least 950 tonnes of materials from landfill over five years.
The UK’s first Circular Construction Hub is the first phase of a wider Circular Economy Village (CEV) that is set to be developed in the London Borough of Newham.
The CEV aims to bring together partners from across the construction sector to trial climate-resilient construction practices, turn waste materials into new products, and develop future skills.
The hub is being delivered in collaboration with Newham Council and the charity Tipping Point East, a registered charity led by founding organisations, including Yes Make, RESOLVE Collective, and Material Cultures.
They are also working in partnership with the Mayor of London, the Mayor of Newham and the London Borough of Newham as part of its Just Transition Climate Action Plan.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, commented: “I am delighted to see the launch of the UK’s first Circular Construction Hub in the Royal Docks, which will help support our ambition to make the capital a zero carbon city by 2030.”
“London is leading the way in the green transition of the construction sector, and that this new hub is part of a wider plan to create a Circular Economy Village in the area – with the hub set to become the largest in Europe when fully activated.”
Initial activation of the site has been supported through Innovate UK funding, which has been used to fit out an office within a warehouse on the site using reclaimed materials.
Hosted on GLA land, the hub also aims to support the sustainable construction of thousands of new homes in the Royal Docks. GLA is the Greater London Authority’s commercial subsidiary, responsible for property investment, development, and asset management.
This includes the Lendlease-led Silvertown development, supported by the Crown Estate and Newham Council, which has now been approved to build 7,000 new houses.
George Massoud, Trustee at Tipping Point East and Founding Director of Material Cultures, commented: “By embedding circular economy processes directly into London’s material flows, Tipping Point East will practically demonstrate how we move towards a just transition.”
