Isle of Dogs
The Area
Recoco buying agents will be delighted to help property buyers discover the Isle of Dogs, which has featured at the top of lists of the best places to live in London. Our Recoco property finders will help you locate the ideal location, whether by the gloriously glossy docks or in the traditional family-friendly quiet streets in the south.
Whether your taste runs to converted industrial buildings like Burrells Wharf, or state-of-the-art developments such as Wardian London, Recoco buying agents will present the very best of the area.
Travel
Canary Wharf transport links are excellent. Property buyers can reach Waterloo in around eleven minutes via the Jubilee Line; it’s around twenty minutes to Westminster, The West End, South Bank, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Regent’s Park, and the Millennium Dome. Twenty minutes by DLR and you’re at the City of London, Greenwich, or Tower Hill.
Seven major bus routes serve the Isle of Dogs, including a night bus. For a more scenic commute, river buses serve Canary Wharf Pier or Masthouse Terrace Pier. Thames Clippers run regular services into the heart of the West End and the City.
If rapid access to air travel is an essential factor in your property search, London City Airport is just 25 minutes from Canary Wharf via DLR. There is a privately run helipad adjacent to Ferguson’s Wharf. When Crossrail opens, it will offer frequent, speedy links to the West End, Paddington, Heathrow Airport, and Abbey Wood.
The History
As your Recoco property finder can explain, former names for the Isle of Dogs include Stepney Marsh and the Blackwell levels. Population levels were low before the 13th century, when the marshland was drained and planted with crops. Flooding in the 15th century left the land uninhabitable until Dutch engineers arrived in the 17th century.
In 1802, after the West India Docks opened, the area developed rapidly. By 1855, it had been incorporated into the parish of Poplar. After the ravages of World War Two, and a brief renaissance in the 1960s and early 1970s, the area was left derelict.
With the formation of the London Docklands Development Corporation, the Isle of Dogs was revived in 1981. New housing, transport hubs, and prestigious office buildings appeared along the historic docksides. Canary Wharf is now one of the world’s leading business and banking locations.
Leisure and Events
Canary Wharf may be lined with temples of finance and industry, but it isn’t all work. Recoco buying agents can help property buyers identify ways to take time out from their property search. Check out the kayaking, sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, and windsurfing opportunities at the Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre.
Arts enthusiasts might like to ask Recoco property finders about The Space, a community centre and performing arts in a former disused church. The Museum of London Docklands showcases local history, while early birds can visit the world-famous Billingsgate Market.
Crossrail Place is planned for the future, incorporating a huge retail and leisure complex and a roof garden.
Education
The Isle of Dogs has four state primary schools: Arnhem Wharf, Cubitt Town Infants and Junior School, Harbinger School, and St Edmunds. Independent primary school River House Montessori is near South Quay. At the island’s southern tip, you’ll find George Green’s Specialist Humanities secondary school. Free school Canary Wharf College offers primary, secondary and sixth form education.
For education in action, head to charity-run Mudchute Park and Farm. Mudchute is home to alpacas, chickens, cows, ducks, geese, goats, llamas, and pigs. It even has its own riding stables.
Celebrity Connections
Only a small number of celebrities have links to the Isle of Dogs, but the Island is almost a celebrity in itself. It’s regularly seen on screen; movies have included 28 Weeks Later, The Long Good Friday, The World Is Not Enough, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Love Actually. And when director Wes Anderson was filming Fantastic Mr. Fox in East London, a road sign for the Isle of Dogs inspired the title of his 2018 animated film.
Foodies’ Corner
Dozens of bijou eateries lurk amongst the futuristic tower blocks, whether you’re craving a perfectly cooked steak at Gaucho, expertly blended cocktails in The Attic, or floating on water at the Lotus Chinese. The area is also home to several major supermarkets and
Fun Fact
One Canada Square is the second tallest building in England that is habitable, standing at 240 metres. (The Shard is currently the tallest.)