frequently asked questions

Why are you bringing forward these proposals now?
  • The decision on the location of an event is often made many years in advance.  Some organisers are making decisions on venues now for events in 2024 and beyond.
  • In order to compete against venues in Paris, Lisbon, Barcelona and cities in Germany for international events and congresses we need to be able to offer more continuous event space.
  • Many of our existing organiser clients have highlighted a need for more space than we currently have to host their event.
What about ExCeL and the NHS?
  • Our expansion plans do not impact the role we are currently playing as both a Nightingale Hospital and a vaccination centre.
  • We are proud to support the NHS and its wonderful staff during this challenging time.
Will there still be demand for event space post Covid-19?
  • We are already in conversation with a number of event organisers for events that are due to take place in the next few years.  You can find a list of the events that are scheduled so far for 2021 here https://www.excel.london/visitor/whats-on
  • The strong demand is why we are bringing forward these proposals now and planning for our future at the Royal Docks.
HOW HAVE THE PROPOSALS FOR PHASE 3 CHANGED?

In the last few weeks, we have been collating and reflecting on the feedback, as we updated our proposals. The changes include:

  • New public realm improvements will be made to the north of the site and along the dock-edge to the existing Phase 1 and Phase 2 buildings.
  • A more open and animated Public Protection Route (PPR), providing a key route across the ExCeL site.
  • A community pocket park supporting leisure, play and biodiversity.
  • Greening and seating to the dock-edge for people to socialise and relax with friends and family.
  • Dedicated pedestrian and cycling routes, to improve connectivity to the dock-edge and ExCeL.

Also, we will now be delivering 20,000sqm of new continuous event space – this will increase the total event space at ExCeL by 20%.

Do you own the Phase 3 site?
  • The Eastern Gateway car park is part of the ExCeL London estate, which is owned by the ADNEC Group.
How sustainable will this building be?
  • Being part of the Royal Dock’s community is a responsibility. We understand how important it is to proactively tackle climate change and support the London Borough of Newham’s declaration of a ‘climate emergency’ made last year. We are a member of the world’s largest sustainability initiative, the UN Global Compact, and have introduced a number of initiatives, including the UK’s largest wormery, to reduce our impact on the environment.
  • This commitment is why we are determined to deliver a building that is highly sustainable. Our aim is to achieve a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) rating of ‘Excellent’, as well as creating a biodiversity net gain across the site.
Will there be sufficient car parking for visitors with one of the car parks being removed?
  • ExCeL London is extremely well connected, with two DLR stations, a number of bus stops and the Elizabeth line, which will be running by the time the Phase 3 building is open is 2024. The vast majority of people who visit us do so via public transport. Those who do travel by car will still be able to park beneath ExCeL in our main car park which has plenty of capacity.
Will your proposals affect public access at the dock-edge?
  • No, the dock-edge will remain accessible to the public, even on event days. Our ambition is to improve the environment around the dock, to make it more inviting and vibrant for local people and we want to explore with the community a number of potential ways in which we could do this.
How will the proposals impact on local transport infrastructure?

  • We will be undertaking a detailed transport study as part of our planning application, but given our excellent location and the anticipated completion of the Elizabeth line, we are confident the additional capacity will have a negligible impact on our local transport network on event days.

  • ExCeL London is connected directly to Custom House and Prince Regent DLR stations and is a 20 minute walk from Canning Town station.

How will the construction be managed?
  • We are still at an early stage in our design process and have yet to submit a planning application to the London Borough of Newham.
  • We will liaise closely with Newham Council on the construction.  This includes preparing a detailed construction managed plan (CMP) that has to be approved before any work can start. We will be able to provide more details at that stage.
What are the benefits for local people?
  • The expansion will create an additional 170 new jobs once open and our ambition is for 50% of these to go to local people.
  • During the construction phase there will be a further 130 new full-time equivalent jobs, as well as apprenticeships and training opportunities and again we will be aiming for a high level of local employment.

  • Long-term we believe that the extra event space will create an even greater positive economic impact locally. Over four million visitors come to ExCeL every year and spend around £4.5 billion as a result of that visit with many local businesses including hotels, bars and restaurants and taxi services. With more event space this will only increase.  As part of our ExCeL Legacy Programme we are exploring new ways to connect our clients with the local community for a positive lasting impact. This could be anything from offering discounted tickets to certain events or donating unused laptops or technical equipment to schools.

  • Aside from the economic impact, our proposals focus on creating a much more welcoming environment around ExCeL London and Royal Victoria Dock, with a new improved walkway from Prince Regent DLR station and a more vibrant dock-edge.

HOW ARE YOU MANAGING THE CONSULTATION PROCESS GIVEN THE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS?
  • Unfortunately, we are not able to host a physical exhibition about the new expansion proposals at ExCeL London because of the coronavirus restrictions.
  • Instead, this dedicated consultation website with the digital exhibition room is a way to showcase our plans to our neighbours and the general public. We have updated the website to coincide with the launch of the Stage 2 Public Consultation and will be keeping to inform visitors of the status of our plans.
  • We were also pleased to hold a virtual public meeting with the community and political stakeholders in early February, to discuss our early designs for Phase 3 and we will be holding another meeting before we submit the planning application. If you would like to attend, please get in touch with the team via the Contact Us page.
  • Each stage of the consultation was publicised in a local newsletter, posters displayed around the site, adverts (print and online) in the Newham Recorder, as well as via established communications channels and newsletters in the community.
  • We are continuing to write to local groups and are in the process of arranging further meetings with stakeholders over the coming weeks

 

HOW DO I COMMENT ON THE UPDATED PROPOSALS AND WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR PHASE 3?

Our final consultation will close at the end of February, but we will continue to respond to any questions or comments you might have on the proposals.

We will be submitting a planning application in March 2021, but will ensure the community, interested groups and political stakeholders remain informed on the progression of the project.

We’d love to hear from you and please get in touch by:

For more information, please visit our digital exhibition page and have your say on our proposals.