The London Borough of Newham resolved to grant planning permission for the Caxton Works development in Canning Town this week.
Cathedral must now gain approval from the London mayors office and finalise s106 agreements for the redevelopment of the the former Goswell Bakeries and Moss Electrical warehouse.
Construction work is scheduled to next September, with the first building finished in 2016.
Cathedral’s chief executive Richard Upton said: “Newham Council has recognised this site’s potential for something quite different for Canning Town—it’s closer to true ‘regeneration’ than simply getting rid of some tired old warehouse and factory buildings and replacing them with high-quality apartments.”