Woolwich church to become 14-storey housing block?
The old Connaught estate in Woolwich has been razed to the ground over the past year or two. As part of the One Woolwich scheme providing 1600 new homes, the former blocks are to be replaced with new builds. The design includes a road and park running through the site to increase permeability. The plans did not however involve Woolwich Baptist Church at the corner of the old estate, and its retention did seem a bit incongruous.
![Church with old estate behind](https://fromthemurkydepths.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/connaught-existing.jpg?w=640)
![Church surrounded by construction site](https://fromthemurkydepths.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/connaught.jpg)
That looks to change. Developers Lovell, behind the estate rebuild, are looking to demolish the church and rebuild it below a large amount of housing. The plans see 128 homes built. It’s a good idea – the church has little architectural merit and isn’t a very efficient use of land, as the photo above shows.
![Church in lower right corner](https://fromthemurkydepths.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/woolwich-connaught-3.jpg?w=640)
Lovells have only submitted an “Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Opinion”, which is a basic and broad outline of intentions, so no detailed plans have been shown as yet. But it looks very likely to go ahead. 14-storeys is of similar height to planned buildings around the site, which will max out around 18-storeys according to the Lovell site.
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People Power now drives London.
To Infinity And More and then some.
Now risen Woolwich transforms daily.
Throwing shapes Canaletto dare not dream and never deigned to visit.
I like the new Woolwich.
Yes, Lovell just start promoting the first phase of the building which will be finished around May-June. It’s called Trinity Walk and you can check the detail here tywalk-woolwich.com, all the building will be consist of private sale ( Help to Buy ) and shared ownership. Hopefully there are more re-development on the town center side comparing to river side which get a lot better ( and higher price ) buildings.
There is now a website (http://www.woolwichbc.co.uk/) with a link to the consultation exhibition boards.