Ground broken on London Hive hub

Known as The Hive, the 29,000 sq ft (2,694 sqm) building is being developed by DP World and Thames Freeport as a shared space for businesses, workers and the local community. The project is co-funded through the Freeport’s seed-fund programme, which aims to create shared infrastructure across Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Thurrock.

Around 100 days of industrial and employability skills programmes are planned each year, supporting an estimated 1,125 trainees annually.

Alan Holland, chief executive of DP World London Gateway Logistics Park, said the building would play a central role in the area’s development. “When complete, The Hive will be a game-changer for businesses located across Thames Freeport,” he said, adding that it would ‘bring together employers, regulators, investors, and the wider community to create a vibrant skills and innovation hub around London Gateway’.

The project is positioned as an early test of Thames Freeport’s wider ambitions. Interim chief executive Stuart Rimmer described it as ‘a flagship early investment’ designed to support high-quality jobs and future-focused industries. “By combining world-class facilities with targeted training and innovation programmes, we’re building the foundations of a thriving, sustainable economy,” he said.

Construction started in October and is due to finish by March 2026. Built by Goldbeck Construction, the building is targeting an A+ EPC rating and BREEAM Outstanding certification.

The Hive will sit within London Gateway’s 9.25m sq ft (859,000 sqm) logistics park, alongside a £1bn expansion of the adjoining port and rail terminals.