Wilko to open at Charlton retail park beside forthcoming Lidl

Plans has been submitted to open a new branch of Wilko in Charlton at the current site of Outfit.

As covered last week, Outfit are to soon close their Charlton branch.

Closing signs on window

The new Wilko is to open next to a forthcoming Lidl store. That’s due to open in February 2020. Wilko opening in Charlton is interesting as their Woolwich branch has long been the planned site of a new leisure centre in Woolwich. The scheme has been continually delayed as Wilko stated they could find no suitable alternative Woolwich site.

Viscount House. Future site of new leisure centre

What this means for Woolwich remains to be seen.

Any new Woolwich lesiure centre is now expected to be around four to five years late. As the Waterfront car park was sold for Berkeley Home tower blocks and the site lack investment due to planned closure, it has seen membership numbers fall sharply.

Towers on former car park
Charlton site

Numerous complaints about car park delays in Charlton where Wilko and Lidl are opening have fallen on deaf ears for years – as have complaints about access for those on foot and using public transport.

Bugsbys Way lacks paving in places

Despite Greenwich Council receiving many millions from local developments almost nothing has been spent rectifying those issues.

Car park sees long waits to exit

Much is currently unspent and lying in council accounts. £6.1 million in Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy income was ready to spend in 2018/19 alone -yet wasn’t.

The exact totals according to a recently released Greenwich Council reports were £3,494,119.84 in CIL income received and available to spend, and £2,174,859 in Section 106. Those totals are after other commitments were already met.


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In the immediate area of Bugsby’s Way many recent developments have brought sizeable income totals:

  • Brocklebank Retail Park comprising Aldi, Primark etc. This 2018 development brought £300,000 in Section 106 payment from the developer to Greenwich Council. Amount spent on Bugsby’s Way = £0

Wickes and Aldi at Brocklebank Retail Park

  • Ikea: £1.7 million in S106 for transport in 2019. Bugsby’s Way saw just new crossings but little else. A new bus lane was however installed nearer the store.
  • Sainsbury’s – £1.4 million in S106 including £512,000 for transport: £0 spent on Bugsby’s Way
  • ParcelForce on Bugsby’s Way: £234,000 in S106. Amount spent locally = £0

Greenwich shopping park

  • Greenwich Shopping Park extension with Frankie and Benny’s, Costa etc (2015/16) – £650,000 in S106 payments. Amount for Bugsby’s Way = £0
  • Former Matalan (now Wickes) – £360,000: £0 for Bugsby’s Way

Bugsbys Way

And it extends to housing. As I covered last week, a nearby housing development in Charlton at Victoria Way comprising 330 homes has so far seen more than £1 million received by Greenwich Council. So far not a penny spent in the local area.

330 new homes. Looking down towards shops

Click here to view plans.

Thanks to the 20 people or so who recently helped the site after my Xmas appeal 9and all those who have before or continue to do so. Click here to become a Patron or here for a one-off donation via Paypal. Thanks

 

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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.

2 thoughts on “Wilko to open at Charlton retail park beside forthcoming Lidl

  • With all the building revenue coming into the council’s coffers an hardly any being spent maybe it’s time for residents to lobby the council to serve borough or vote them out. Also they could us use it to revive woolwich town centre to encourage shops, an market traders to come back an make woolwich what it was. Being born in woolwich 70 years ago i have seen a massive decline in the area

    Reply
  • I am pleased that Wilkinson’s have putting in planning permission to open a store on the site of the current Outfit Store which is soon to close. It will provide jobs for local people and allow the old Outfit store from standing empty and unused for a long period of time.

    I agree with Steve Norris comments with regard to Woolwich Town Centre which has gone in to decline and could be revitalised back in to a thriving Town Centre it once used to be with the right investment.

    I remember when the open market sold everything you could possibly want. Plus you had Cuffs and The CO-OP Department Stores both of which closed sometime ago.

    Reply

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