First homes on Greenwich Council Housing Zones in for planning

Peabody have submitted final designs for their first project in the Greenwich Council Housing Zone. It’s a small scheme of 66 homes in West Thamesmead near the Princess Alice pub.

Housing Zones are plots of land designated for housing which the Greater London Authority designates and then aid with grants and loans for infrastructure. Greenwich’s Housing Zones will provide 1500 homes, and differs from the one in Bexley which is focused upon the large-scale redevelopment of Thamesmead’s 1960s and 1970s estate.

Those in Greenwich borough comprise this site, a spot near Plumstead station where 930 homes are planned and another site around the historic if somewhat hidden Royal Arsenal Canal, aka Broadwater Dock, which they are looking to fill in. A big mistake if they do. It could, and should, be a big asset to the area. There’s many examples of post-war filling of canals across the country that are now seen as great mistakes. Many of those retained are now thriving and buzzing areas.

I’m also a bit dubious of awarding all land to one developer – in this case Peabody, and across two boroughs at that. It can simply slow down the much needed delivery of homes if they’re spread too thinly. They have hardly been swift at building since taking over Gallions in Thamesmead. Some of the timescales given seem extremely long.

And not just starting building, but they havn’t even demolished the remnants of Thamesmead’s estate that were standing isolated and empty when they took over. They’re a blight and have seen numerous arson attacks. How the old library is still standing is a mystery despite its rapid decline. The sooner they get cracking on the better.