Developer appeals to Government to build Woolwich Tesco tower
Developer Meyer Homes is appealing to Government over the 2018 rejection by Greenwich Council of a 27-floor tower in front of Tesco.
After Greenwich Council rejected the proposal, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan decided not to hear an appeal from developers so they’ve now gone to central Government.
How this appeal and inquiry will go is anyone’s guess. Greenwich Council set a precedent by approving a 27-storey tower on the site back in 2007.
They also scrapped a masterplan covering the site which would have capped heights after years of development – but only after spending more than £124,000.
Meyer Homes also proposed some very densely packed blocks to the rear of the store after purchasing the site from Tesco.
Whilst the tower gained much publicity these blocks to the rear gained little.
This was to be stage two of Tesco’s plan before they sold sites in Woolwich, Dartford, Bexleyheath and Lewisham to other developers.
The Tesco itself won the Carbunkle Cup award for poor design. Whilst the front facing general Gordon Square isn’t too bad, that frontage will be obscured by a new tower if approved. The side however, will not.
Greenwich Council leaders defended the building stating it created jobs. But then again so would a high quality mixed-use development. In fact, approving sub-standard builds for short-term gain often leads to long-term decline as a town’s reputation takes a battering. You’d have though they’d have learnt that from much post-war Woolwich redevelopment giving us gems such as this:
1960s block looms over High Street:
An enquiry will now be held to determine whether the development will go ahead.
Is there any update on whether or not the towers at the rear will be built anytime soon? (regardless of the the status of the tower at the front). It would be good to see this land put to good use.
The Tesco block is bizarre but its idiosyncrasies make it work: the odd juxtaposition of curves, rectangles and colours is as far removed from old Woolwich as you can imagine. By contrast the proposed block has no architectural merit and offers nothing by way of aesthetics or harmony with the surroundings. Paint it gold and it would look as obscene and as misplaced as the photoshopped picture of Trump’s Hotel in Greenland