It's back: 30-storey tower planned on grass outside Woolwich Tesco superstore
Plans for a tower on the green area outside Tesco by General Gordon Square in Woolwich have been resurrected.
Tesco originally had plans for a tower around five years ago. It was a pretty poor design that fortunately didn’t go ahead. They have since sold sites in front and behind their Woolwich store to Meyer Homes who are behind this scheme, as well as other plans at former Tesco sites in Lewisham and Dartford.
There would be 200 homes in the tower and 600 at sites to the rear.
The original tower plans were pretty dire and there’s no images of this new scheme. A Woolwich town masterplan permitted a tall tower at that site back then. However, since that time the masterplan has been revised and a lower height is now the target.
Here’s a post from 2015 looking at the revised Thomas Street area SPD. This looked to scale back earlier plans to allow tall towers on the area in front of Tesco, with a cap on heights between 10-15 floors.
Yet two years later new site owners Meyer Homes appear to be pushing ahead with plans similar to those Tesco were pursuing.
Click here to see Meyer Homes plan for the former Tesco site in Dartford and a tower on Tesco’s car park in Lewisham.
Planning ref: 17/0690/EIA
Interesting artist’s impression – The sun appears to be coming from the North east, which makes the tower look less intrusive.
Well spotted Mike!
Developers trying to full the planners and the public by manipulating flashy images…outrageous!
It does not make any sense to take away the only grand public space in woolwich, specially with a gigantic tower on the south side.
In the meantime…I hope someone is squeezing good money out of the developers… 🙂
Yet again some out-of-touch professional in their high tower is intent upon ruining what little “greenish-open space” is left in Woolwich. At present, it is quite pleasant walking through the area in question. Another unsightly tower block is what we don.t need.
If this helps reducing anti social behaviour in that “greenish-open space” i would be happy with it. There are too many heavy drinkers standing in fron of Tesco entrance
I quite like the greenery round Tesco although it could be done up a bit a small play area for toddlers and young children would be good and more child friendly whilst the main square is more of a relaxing place with the TV. As much as I’d like towers in Woolwich this isn’t an appropriate place.
Looking on the plus side: at least it will hide the carbuncle award winning Tescos and perhaps win another award in itself ;). It doesn’t take much artistic sense to see the proposal just looks wrong.