The London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) was a quango set up in 1981 to regenerate the Docklands area of east London. It was responsible for an area of 8.5 square miles (22 km²) in the London Boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and Southwark.
It was established by the then Secretary of State for the Environment, Michael Heseltine, under section 136 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980. It was financed by a grant from central government and from the proceeds from the disposal of land for development.
It stewardship saw the construction of the Docklands Light Railway and many architecturally-interesting buildings, including the tallest buildings presently in the UK at Canary Wharf. It was able to permit these to be built as controls on planning permission, normally controlled by the local boroughs, were handed to the LDDC.
It began a staged withdrawal in 1994 and was formally wound up in 1998. Under a process called "dedesignation" the powers it held reverted to the London Boroughs.
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