Welcome to London’s Royal Docks
Dear Candidate
Welcome to London’s Royal Docks. One of the largest impounded bodies of water in the world and at the centre of one of the most exciting regeneration programmes in London. Our vision is “to honour their historical legacy by transforming the Royal Docks into the most diversely utilised and vibrant urban water space in the United Kingdom.”
I am the Managing Director of the Royal Docks Management Authority which manages the operation of the water and the refurbishment and maintenance of engineering assets. We are a not-for-profit organisation and have a 225-year management lease over the water and a small number of land parcels.
Financially a service charge is levied to occupiers around the docks. In addition, we raise revenue through a range of provided services. The income raised is approximately 50:50 with the service charge. Once overheads and costs are deducted, the balance is placed in a surplus fund from which all major assets are funded. The costs to refurbish the major assets run into many millions of pounds and far exceed the surplus which has been created in recent years. Therefore, the refurbishment of major assets is planned on a rolling 30 year basis, to allow sufficient build-up of funds to take on priority projects.
The Royal Docks Team is a new joint initiative from the Mayor of London and Mayor of Newham to develop and manage placemaking in the Royal Docks. It has been classified an Enterprise Zone and the Royal Docks Team have formulated a new 5-year Delivery Plan, investing circa £300m to transform the area. This will see the creation of jobs, improvement of transport links, provision of services, promoting activities and world class events.
We are on the verge of assuming a new role in relation to this transformation, one of developer on the water. It is too early to specify detail on the projects until the formal decision has been communicated, expected imminently.
The new chair will play a pivotal role, guiding the RoDMA stakeholder board through key decisions on the development timeline and mentoring me throughout the process.
People are the most precious part of our organisation. We have built an unusually supportive and effective team and have created great relationships with our key stakeholders.
This is the biggest change happening at the Royal Docks, since they closed to commercial shipping in 1982. If you like the sound of the opportunity, then I would love to hear from you.
Best Regards,
Scott Derben
Managing Director
London’s Royal Docks
-
Infrastructure
RoDMA’s core responsibility is to maintain, repair and refurbish the marine engineering infrastructure. They also preserve the water quality and level in the docks.
-
Health and Safety
As a statutory harbour authority formed by legislation , RoDMA seeks to comply with the Port Marine Safety Code through the adoption of a marine safety management system which is underpinned through a formal risk assessment process.
-
Environment
As the largest enclosed docklands in the world there is a continual requirement to maximise the efficiency of our operations in order to minimise impacts on the marine environment. Environmental monitoring undertaken includes bathymetric surveys, sediment sampling and analysis for physical characteristics and contaminants and regular water quality sampling.
-
Our Services
London’s Royal Docks can be accessed 24 hours per day. Unlike most of the other docks in London, we accept low water lock-in/outs; reasonable night-time working and uninterrupted access to the dock edge for loading/unloading by crane or other means. There are a number of long-term moorings for layover berths and facilities for temporary moorings close to King George V Lock.