Chinese client gears up for Docklands tower start

Chinese residential developer Greenland Group is gearing up to begin construction on the tallest residential tower in western Europe, the 67-storey Spire London tower in Docklands.

The £800m HOK-designed project won planning in February and Greenland Group on Monday launched the sales push for the project’s 861 apartments, of which 765 are for private sale.

Arup is advising on construction, WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff is engineer and Aecom is project manager. Greenland said the tender for a main contractor is being finalised.

The client - which is building more than 82 million sq ft of projects worldwide - has already completed above-ground demolition works at the site on Hertsmere Road at West India Quay and is targeting beginning piling works on the tower in January.

The tower is scheduled to reach the halfway point in height during the summer of 2018, with build completion set for 2020.

It features gardens, a cinema, a spa and a bar, while new public realm will be created around the base of the tower.

Greenland says the striking design is inspired by the Docklands’ nautical history and by the orchid, a flower cultivated in China for more than 3,000 years.

Yuliang Zhang, chairman and president of Greenland Group said: “Spire London will create a new iconic landmark on the London skyline. This tower will be Western Europe’s tallest residential building and underlines London’s enduring status as a world-class city and destination.

“This is Greenland Group’s most important project in Europe, and will deliver exceptional new homes for Londoners.”

Greenland Group, founded in 1992, is listed on the Shanghai stock exchange and has a global property portfolio valued at £53bn. It is building projects across 80 cities in China and 12 cities internationally.