The document discusses the history and regeneration of London's Docklands area. It details how London grew as an important port city along the Thames river since Roman times. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Docklands economy declined significantly as the docks closed down. In 1981, the London Docklands Development Corporation was established to regenerate the 81⁄2 square mile Docklands Urban Development Area, which had become derelict and depressed. Major regeneration projects like Canary Wharf transformed the area with new buildings, open spaces, and access to the waterfront.