Discover Newham

Situated just three miles from the city, Newham takes in much of London's revitalised docklands.

It includes City Airport, the ExCeL international exhibition centre and luxury homes overlooking the Thames.

The borough is at the centre of London's plans for the 2012 Olympic games. The Games will see an 80,000-seater stadium built in Stratford - which will also be at the heart of a prestigious new development, Stratford City, comprising 4,500 new homes, nearly half a million square metres of office space, hotels, schools and a shopping centre to rival any in the country.

Major regeneration schemes are also underway in other parts of Newham, including Canning Town and West Ham. And there's still plenty of space for more development - the largest available city site in Europe.

It's not just the shining new buildings and facilities that make the borough a happening place. Newham has the youngest and most diverse population in the UK. More than 40 per cent of the 254,000 people in Newham are under 25 years old and more than 100 languages are spoken locally - from Albanian to Zhuang. All of which makes for an exciting area rich in culture, flavour and atmosphere where local people take great pride in being part of a global village.

The borough's youthful vigour and creativity has fused with the traditional East End values of warmth, friendliness, community spirit and good humour to make Newham a welcoming place with a unique character.

Newham is a great place to buy a house with better prices than comparable parts of London. It's also a great place to stay when visiting the capital. With ten brand-new hotels, including the unique West Ham United with rooms overlooking the football pitch at Upton Park, there is accommodation to suit every pocket. It's much cheaper than staying in the centre of London and yet it's only 20 minutes from most of the top attractions.

As well as being an excellent base for exploring central London, there is also plenty to see and do here. For a taste of the real London, look no further than Green Street - dubbed 'the Bond Street of the East End'. A refreshing break from the chain stores of most high streets, it has over 400 independent shops representing cultures from around the world, selling food, jewellery, designer saris (as worn by Cherie Blair), and a myriad of cafes and restaurants serving authentic international cuisine.

Nearly ten per cent of the borough is green space and visitors can take advantage of a range of sports, leisure and activities around the borough's parks. Outside of Newham, but within easy reach are Wanstead flats and Epping forest and East London's favourite seaside resort, Southend, is just half an hour away.