This book is the result of five years’ research into the transformative regeneration of East London’s Docklands, driven by the London Docklands Development Corporation, established in 1981. Drawing heavily on original primary source research, it tells a story much repeated but previously only partially understood. The book sheds new light on the unlikely emergence of the Canary Wharf development, the local and national politics that enabled it, and the maverick individuals who made it happen. It argues that understanding why and how Canary Wharf and the wider Docklands regeneration came about is crucial for understanding how future regeneration projects may or may not succeed.

Jack Brown is Senior Lecturer in Government Studies at King’s College London, UK.