Greenwich Ikea car park to see 1,200 homes built above?

Reports have emerged of plans to potentially build 1,200 homes above a large car located beside Ikea, B&Q and the Odeon in Greenwich.

EG report talks are ongoing between Singaporean landowner Weybourne Holdings and developer London Square to build homes above the existing car park. According to the article, the car park will remain as “the council has identified the car park as valuable for the borough”.

1,200 homes would go a long way to meeting the borough’s annual housing target of 3,000 and provide income to assist the implementation of transport schemes such as a Bus Transit system.

The article also highlights that whilst most urban development projects seek to replace or limit large-scale car parking, Greenwich have now aligned themselves closely to car oriented retail sheds and so retaining parking spaces is seen as essential to keep companies such as Ikea.

Of course it does mean that down the line those big single storey sheds would make far more sense as mixed-use developments with homes above. Well, it made sense to do that when Ikea was approved, and even more if this plan proceeds. That would give the “sustainable” Ikea building a shelf life about as long as the “eco” Sainsbury’s that proceeded it.

Greenwich Peninsula will still retain acres of tarmac despite this plan – as will Charlton.

It is likely that consultations will emerge in coming months.

Developer London Square are behind other projects in the area. They recently gained approval to demolish Greenwich police station for a block of flats. Click here to read about that plan.

They also plan 141 homes in Lewisham – as covered here.