Action promised on neglected Plumstead buildings

After decades of decline, dilapidation and neglect Greenwich Council have listened to locals fed up with the state of parts of Plumstead. I’ve covered the state of parts of the town for months, as has local press and local Facebook groups and groups that have sprung up such as PARC (Plumstead and Abbey Wood regeneration Committee).

Letters have been sent to around 700 building owners in the area around the High Street asking them to improve buildings or face action.

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The area certainly needs it. Many buildings are in poor shape with owners and landlords, who have benefited from above inflation property value rises for many years, spending no money on exterior upkeep. A trip last week shows the condition of some buildings:

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And these from Twitter user and PARC member @ClaireSE18:

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Well done to Greenwich Council for this step forward. It shows just what can be achieved when issues are researched and solutions publicised, people organise and then lobby those in power for change. This took a number of months to get together and hopefully will alleviate many, many years of slide. It CAN happen anywhere if people get together, research and fight using the myriad ways available to them. There will be setbacks along the way but progress will happen.

But this is just the start. The letters have gone out. Some owners have let buildings rot for decades and will possibly ditch the letters and ignore warnings. Penalties such as Section 215 notices, which can be enforced through the courts at little risk to Council’s win or lose, are great tools to ensure owners improve buildings. This need to be followed up to those with no intention of helping improve this long neglected part of London to the detriment of many locals and the town.

 

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J Smith

I've lived in south east London most of my life growing up in Greenwich borough and working in the area for many years. The site has contributors on occasion and we cover many different topics. Living and working in the area offers an insight into what is happening locally.

5 thoughts on “Action promised on neglected Plumstead buildings

  • How about rockmount road estate,whole building got so much mild because they all flat got condensation and damp….they need to pull them down as living in them is unhealthy and lots of people in those properties got asthma and developing asthma all families and suffering there…

    Reply
  • Good work on helping getting this sorted out.

    Reply
  • It’s a bit premature to congratulate Greenwich Council. Won’t be holding my breath waiting for the Council to put its money where its mouth is. But thanks for your support.

    Reply
  • This is all very well but my experience tells me its not so easy. I can remember when we tried to get action on a street down here that some premises were very difficult – and the Council then was offering money to get work done. One semi derelict shop in particular was home to an elderly resident who would not open the door or answer letters despite specially trained staff trying to contact them. With some others there were long drawn out (and expensive) legal wrangles. Several owners were angry and made it quite clear they would not agree to anything the Council asked, regardless of cost – as far as they were concerned it was a stand against authority and they were not going to be told what to do with their property. Good luck, anyway.

    Reply
  • Pingback: Planning application submitted for run-down Plumstead eyesore – fromthemurkydepths

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