Greenwich Intercontinental hotel extension approved yet no money for local area

Greenwich Council’s Planning Board last week gave approval to extend the Intercontinental Hotel located beside the o2 in Greenwich.

Plans see an extension of the ballroom/conference hall by 2,121 square metres as owners Arora seek to hold bigger events on the grounds.

How it currently appears

The extension brings in a modest amount of Community Infrastructure Levy income to Greenwich Council. £21,210 this time.

Despite some roads not even having pavements in the area, the employment scheme GLLaB gains the funds. Every penny.



Yet again other areas of possible spending miss out. Why are Greenwich Council so insistent on giving so much income to the GLLaB scheme?

It’s worthy of funds, and hard to argue against a scheme which helps employment and skills, yet such large amounts and duplicating existing agencies to the detriment of many other areas? This is near an area where cyclists are dying due to such poor streets.

Abbey Wood

As I covered recently, Greenwich decided that over £400,000 from Abbey Wood’s forthcoming tower should go to GLLaB yet not a penny to one of London’s most deprived estates directly next door.

Courtesy Google. An entrance to main shopping parade

Developers decided to go above and beyond what is required and offered £50k for public realm improvement, which is still derisory given the total income of £1.25m (bumped up to £1.3m with that offer), and they shouldn’t need to.

Greenwich Council could have split £200k to public realm and parks and £200k to GLLaB. But they didn’t, and very rarely do.

Nice work creating a two tier 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.

4 thoughts on “Greenwich Intercontinental hotel extension approved yet no money for local area

  • Here’s a question: Does GLLaB get paid by the employers it’s recruiting for (as per the commercial model of recruitment)?
    If so, the amounts being squandered are even more alarming.

    Reply
  • My experience of GLLaB isn’t great. They did what agencies like Reed or Learn Direct did – but worse.

    It’s good to know our local park is an absolute mess and families avoid it whilst money pumped into GLLaB instead of improving it!

    Question is when so much money is going one way is who really benefits. Some people getting help at the coalface will of course but managers? Is this a gravy train or jobs for the boys at the expense of wider communities?

    Reply
  • royal greeniwch dont even repair there propertys or even investigate the problems with there propertys they are a disgrace

    Reply
  • GLLab is an utter waste of money in my experience.

    I’ve made an earlier comment on my experience with them in another post but in short, no trades person I’ve known in the borough who has either just come out of training or with a few years under their belt has ever got a job via GLLaB.
    I, after 2 YEARS of persistance on my behalf obtained a trade card through them, something which normally takes 3-6 months MAX.
    It was solely down to GLLaB’s terrible organisation, it actually seems like a counter productive project which only really seems of keep the people working there in employment.

    Reply

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