Short History of Wapping Dock and Warehouses 

1834    Wapping Dock opened. It was designed to link Georges, Salthouse, Canning, Dukes, Albert, Brunswick, Kings and Queens Docks, to save shipping having to go back into the river to enter these docks. It also provided more quay area for loading and unloading.

1855   Wapping Warehouse (now Wapping Quays) was built. It is was designed by Jesse Hartley, who also designed the Albert Dock, and is similar in construction. The materials used were stone, iron and brick, and the warehouses were designed to be completely fireproof.

1860s onwards.  Wapping started with the East Asian trade, and latterly remained as a bonded warehouse for rum and tobacco products until it closed in 1982.

1893  Overhead railway opened. Wapping Dock station approximately located at Campanile site.

1940s   Wapping was severely damaged by German bombs, particularly at the South end.

1956   Overhead railway closed, then was demolished in 1957

1982  Wapping warehouse finally closed

1987    Under the Mersey Docks regeneration scheme, the then owners/freeholders of the land and buildings, Merseyside Development Corporation, (MDC) gave a 150-year Head Lease to Barratt Urban Renewal (Northern) Ltd., to redevelop the warehouse as luxury apartments. The South gable end was rebuilt and the building made safe. The architects were Kingham Knight Associates, now KKA. The refurbishment was carried out progressively over about two years. There are four quays, North, East, West and South. North is closest to the Albert Dock, and was the first to be completed.  The building was officially opened by Nicholas Ridley MP, then Secretary of State for the Environment, on April 8^th 1988. There are five storeys including the ground floor, consisting of 114 flats in total, 29 in each of the outer quays and 28 in the centre ones. There are a few 3-bedroomed and 1-bedroomed flats, but the majority are 2-bedroomed.

1988   The Residents Association (WQRA) was formed by the late Michael Blackmon, the first resident to move into the block. Most of the early purchasers were owner-occupiers who joined the Association and formed a friendly community. It enabled the residents to have a voice in dealings with the managing agents, originally Merseyside Improved Housing (MIH), then Harbour Housing (HH) both predecessors of Riverside Home Ownership, the previous managing agents, who represent the Head Leaseholder’s (Barratt’s) interests.

1996    WQRA established a limited company, registered as WQRA Limited in 1996. The work to bring this to fruition was carried out, largely pro bono, by Phillippe Hughes, a retired solicitor (Hill Dickinson) who lived at Wapping and was secretary to the Association at the time. The shareholders are the apartment owners, with one share allocated to each flat.

1997    WQRA Ltd purchased the Freehold of the building from MDC. Phillippe Hughes, then as the first Company Secretary, also saw this project through. There was always an intention to acquire the Head Lease from Barratt in addition, but there were difficulties with this at the time. It was considered again in 2001. but the difficulties were still insurmountable.

2008 The acquisition of the Head Lease from Barratt was again considered by the then Board of Directors of WQRA Ltd, and the Chairman of the time opened negotiations. It took about two years to complete the formalities, but it was finally acquired in December 2010.

2010. The introduction of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 enabled developments such as Wapping to form Right to Manage (RTM)companies to allow leaseholders more control over their homes and the ability to select their own managing agents. At a general meeting of leaseholders it was agreed to establish such a company. It required a minimum of 50% of leaseholders to vote in favour. In the event the number was significantly higher. 

2011. Wapping Quays Right to Manage Company Limited (WQRTMCL) was formed,  the date of acquisition being October 1st 2011. At the Annual General Meetings in April 2011 a change of name was agreed for the first company to Wapping Quays Leaseholders Ltd, to better describe the representation of the members. It was also agreed to dissolve Wapping Quays Residents Association in the interests of non-duplication, as WQRTMCL would be covering much of the same ground.

On the date of acquisition of the RTM, October 1st., the new Managing Agents took over the management of the building, working with the two companies for the benefit of all the leaseholders and other residents..