The site owners are proposing to create a food, drink and culture venue as a “prelude” to a permanent redevelopment of the ‘Stratford Junction’ site, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter

The 'Stratford Junction' site as it looks now (credit LDRS) — The ‘Stratford Junction’ site as it looks now (credit LDRS)

Plans for a new development on the ill-fated MSG Sphere site have been submitted to Newham Council.

Landowner Stratford Park Ltd wants temporary planning permission to build a food, drink and culture venue at the former coach park next to Stratford Station.

It says this will be the “prelude” to a permanent redevelopment of the site that will create “a cultural and artistic identity for the area”.

The land was previously earmarked for a giant, illuminated sphere that would have been a venue for concerts and sports events.

However, the plans were scrapped amid objections from neighbours who said the light would keep them awake, and from Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan.

Stratford Park Ltd wants to use the site for several attractions including street food stalls, a market, a performance venue and a skate park, for up to three years.

Plans submitted to the council say these would be housed in repurposed shipping containers and London buses decorated with graffiti. These are already on site.

Attractions would include a “container village including bric-a-brac market” an “events area”, a food pavilion, a gallery, a skate ramp and a basketball court.

There would also be an “eco zone”, a “mirror pool” and space for outdoor activities and socialising.

Proposals say the venue would open at 10am and close at 1am daily.

Stratford Park Ltd says it intends the venue to be a “meanwhile use” – something to occupy the site until it is ready to begin a more permanent redevelopment.

Artist's impression of the proposed temporary meanwhile use at the Stratford Junction site (credit Contemporary Design Solutions) — Artist’s impression of the proposed temporary meanwhile use at the Stratford Junction site (credit Contemporary Design Solutions)

A website for the development – named “Stratford Junction” – suggests it could include “a mix of uses”.

These include “shared living” housing aimed at 26-45 year olds, similar to modern student halls of residence, and a hotel.

It could also include education and training facilities, an outdoor square and exhibition spaces, indoor galleries, music and theatre venues, and a food market.

The website also suggests that there’ll be a new bridge into the site, connected to the one that links Stratford town centre with the Westfield shopping mall.

The site was last used as a coach park during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Stratford Park Ltd – then named Stratford Garden Property – applied for planning permission to build the large illuminated dome there in 2019.

At that time the company was owned by US events company Madison Square Gardens Entertainment Corp.

Ownership of the company changed hands in May 2025, with Sky News reporting at the time that Hallmark Properties – the project manager for the new development – was to buy the land for £40million.

The sphere would have been a similar height to the Big Ben clock tower, and covered in a large LED display screen showing adverts and visual displays.

In 2022 it was granted planning permission by the London Legacy Development Corporation, which was the planning authority for the Olympic park and surrounding areas between 2012 and 2024.

However, Newham Council opposed it, and the Greater London Authority blocked it in 2023, with Khan raising concerns about light pollution.

The then-Conservative government ‘called in’ the application, meaning it would have faced a planning inquiry. But Madison Square Gardens withdrew its application in January 2024, saying the plans had become a “political football”.

Stratford Park Ltd submitted new plans for the alternative ‘meanwhile’ use to Newham Council in March and they became available to view publicly in full last Thursday (4th).

The plans can be viewed and commented on using reference number 26/00529/FUL.

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