The new pier, which will be 190m wide, will replace a previous pier on the site, which was built to service a large paper mill supplying the newspaper industry, demolished in the 1990’s to make way for the new development.

The design creates a new riverside walk and a series of terrace viewing points to observe the nearby QE2 Bridge and the shipping along one of the UK’s busiest waterways to the east of London. Also to be built as part of the scheme is a launch slipway into the river for the new Cambrian Sea Scouts training centre, constructed over a platform on the edge of Black Duck Marsh.

The 16 storey tower curves along its frontage with the River Thames to maximise views and sunlight for the apartments, with extensive terraces providing views along the river towards London or towards the Ebbsfleet peninsular.

John said that the key to the new scheme’s success will be the completion of a landscaped circus, terminating the street network of this eastern half of Ingress Park, influencing the form of the new buildings and creating a vibrant new hub at the heart of the development.

He added: “The new landscaped amenity space will serve the Ingress Park community, both for regular shopping and entertainment, such as seasonal events and farmers’ markets.

“The links into the wider riverside environment and unique ecology of the semi-saline marshland of the Ebbsfleet Peninsular will bring many visitors, making the circus a key point on their riverside walking route and creating a tranquil place for people to enjoy the unique landscape.

“This final phase of Ingress Park will create a really vibrant residential hub on London’s doorstep, with the benefit of being situated within the unique river landscape of Black Duck Marsh and the Ebbsfleet peninsula.”