Marketing suite conversion completes at former Dock Offices

If you’ve walked along Surrey Quays Road in the last few days, you may have noticed that the hoarding has been removed outside of the former Dock Office buildings. We’re pleased to unveil the new marketing suite for residential property sales at Canada Water.  

The opening follows the sensitive restoration of the 120-year-old Grade II-listed building that continued the work to the Dock Manager’s office, as designed by interior designers Conran & Partners. 

The Dock Offices were built in 1892 as a base from which to manage the Surrey Commercial Docks. The Docks, operational since the late 17th century, had undergone a massive expansion during the 19th century to cope with burgeoning imports of timber from Scandinavia and the Baltic, along with foodstuffs from Canada to feed London’s growing population. The smart red-and-beige brick building with its distinctive clock tower became the hub of a hive of activity, epitomised by the sight of deal porters in their protective headgear carrying vast beams of timber on their shoulders.  

The offices were in continuous use with little alteration until the Commercial Docks closed in 1969. The building then stood unused until the mid-1980s, when the interior was modernised for office use by The Poetry School, who moved to a new venue in January 2022. The status of other tenants in the building remains unchanged. 

The iconic structure has now been sympathetically restored to its former glory.  Contractors Wates worked carefully with the building, tackling the quirks associated with a listed property to showcase original features such as the trusses, high archways and triple-height vaulted ceilings. Internal conversions to office space that were added in the 1980s have been removed, with the historic brickwork exposed to celebrate the heritage of the building.  

Working to a tight timescale, they also renewed the roof lights to let in natural light, and incorporated sofa nooks into the alcove arches. Sustainability was a key consideration in the restoration, with the cross-laminated timber used to reduce the environmental impact of the project.   

The marketing suite is open to those wishing to purchase a home at Canada Water by appointment only. To register an interest in new homes coming forward as part of the Canada Water development, please click here.