Top 5 popular articles of 2016
A bit late on the up-take with this round-up but here we are. It was a busy New Year so it’s a couple of days later than scheduled. Thanks for everyone who reads the blog, adds comments and emails in. It’s all much appreciated.
Page views of the blog almost doubled in 2016 over 2015 and the recent change in the site layout has also caused a further decent rise in visitors and readers.
Crossrail continues to act as a major catalyst of change and 2017 promises many more major developments as areas undergo major change. The blog will continue to look at whether Local Authorities are using these developments to improve the lot of residents. I’ve got a post looking at this issue that’ll be posted soon, which shows yet again that in many instances this hasn’t happened in the recent past.
So anyway, here’s a look at the top five posts in terms of readers in 2016:
5. Cinema coming to Woolwich as market sale agreed
This post in May looked at Greenwich Council’s approval of the Spray Street plans which include selling the indoor market site to St Modwen and Notting Hill Housing Association. Council documents reveal plans for a cinema, up to 650 homes and a new public square.
4. Second cinema coming to Woolwich as part of new 310-home scheme
This post in October looked at a great looking scheme for an island site in Woolwich which also proposes a cinema a few hundred metres south of the market. The scheme retains and enhances many buildings of merit, demolishes one that’s a bit of a blot and opens up access to an interior courtyard alongside providing a cinema and dance school alongside 310 homes.
3. Further details emerge of 1600 home Thamesmead and Abbey Wood development
Back in January 2016 this post looked at the huge housing schemes planned mainly in Thamesmead as part of Peabody’s Housing Zone. Planning permission for the first stage of 550 homes was granted later in the year with work expected on site within months. And not before time. Since Peabody took the reigns too little has happened. Remnants of the old Tavy Bridge estate, like the old library and adjacent bridge, have lingered despite arson attacks.
Residents in the remaining sections still occupied have been moving out over the past year.
2. Charlton Retail Park almost open bringing Next, Primark, Aldi and Mothercare
This retail park has been underway for a while now but completion dates seem to have slipped. This post looked at the retailers that will occupy the units. With completion due within months this will add to traffic pressures in the area.
1. Big Southeastern rail changes from August
This post from June had the most hits of any written in 2016. The severe cuts to services at certain stations caused a fair bit of attention. Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill and Westcombe Park saw 30-40 per cent cuts in evening rush hour trains.
As expected, leaving gaps of almost half an hour to these stations caused severe overcrowding which led to Southeastern lengthening train lengths within a few weeks, though it’s still far from enough and they had to take those carriages from other services.
Despite promises dating all the way back to January 2016 for an “imminent” announcement of more trains from the Department for Transport, no statement ever arrived. That’s the same Department for Transport that will now specify services (fares, timetables, staffing, train numbers etc.) of the next franchise instead of TfL thanks to Chris Grayling blocking devolution unless something happens soon.
