The Battle for Docklands: the story of the LDDC

London's Docklands were at one time the largest and most successful in the world, starting with West India Docks in 1802, East India Docks, Millwall Dock, Surrey Docks and then the Royal Docks. The London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) was a quango agency set up by the UK Government in 1981 to regenerate the depressed Docklands area of east London. During its eighteen-year existence it was responsible for regenerating an area of 8.5 square miles (22 km2) in the London Boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and Southwark. LDDC helped to create Canary Wharf, Surrey Quays shopping centre, London City Airport, ExCeL London and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). Although initially fiercely resisted by local councils and residents, today it is generally regarded as having been a success and is now used as an exemplar of large-scale regeneration, although divergent views remain.