Up to 1,250 homes approved in Belvedere
Plans for up to 1,250 homes in Belvedere at an industrial area have been approved by Bexley Council
With consultation of a DLR extension now underway this popped back into my head after remembering I hadn’t finished a post about it.
The plans were approved back in December and first covered on this site back in 2021.
It’s a substantial plot located between the railway line and Bronze Age Way, and follows nearby plans for 400 homes submitted last year.
In total Bexley Council’s Growth Strategy included up to 8,000 new homes in the town.
This latest approval is only outline in nature but shows the direction of travel. A report before Bexley councillors stated:
“The site was previously designated as a Strategic Industrial Location but was released from this designation through the review of the development plan.
“The site is now the subject of a site allocation in the Local Plan which seeks to secure primarily residential development with green, open spaces.
“The Local Plan sets a minimum site capacity of 740 new homes but states that a higher capacity may be acceptable, subject to meeting the development requirements of the Site Allocation”
DLR
A consultation launched yesterday on extending the DLR to Thamesmead offers the potential for onward extension.
Bexley Council are seeking the DLR and/or an express bus to Belvedere. They also plan up to 6,000 homes in Erith and 8,000 in Slade Green.
TfL state the railway station in Belvedere should be sufficient for now.
It’s somewhat unlikely the DLR will even make it to Thamesmead given costs, but if it does being DLR would make extension harder than an at-grade mode of transport.
The DLR would require grade-separation from other vehicles meaning a tunnel or viaduct is required across Thamesmead and beyond. More expensive, more intrusive than, say, a tram and not exactly attractive.
I terms of the 1,250-home site, the report before Bexley’s Planning Committee stated that it included “safeguarding of land for the Bus Rapid Transport Route”.
Interesting to see the approval of up to 1,250 homes in Belvedere. As a local resident, I’m concerned about the potential impact on traffic and infrastructure. How will the development be managed to minimize these effects? Also, what measures will be taken to address the concerns of existing residents and businesses?