Custom House

Custom House ward sits on the western edge of Newham beside the Royal Victoria Dock and takes its name from the 19th-century customs office that served the docks. The street pattern and some remaining warehouse facades record the area’s industrial past, while rows of terraced houses and post-war estates form most of the residential fabric. Custom House DLR station, signed "Custom House for ExCeL," sits alongside the dock and is a local transport node that links the ward to the Docklands network. Walking routes follow the dock edge and cross former quays that are now public promenades.

Local life centers on small shops, community facilities and a handful of workshop spaces that occupy converted dock buildings. Schools and play areas serve a compact population; allotments and pocket green spaces appear where rail yards once lay. Employment ranges from logistics and light industry to offices in low-rise buildings near the water. Ongoing development has focused on reusing dockside infrastructure and improving connections within Newham rather than creating large standalone sites.