Woolwich town centre street changes moving to next phase

Work to change the face of Woolwich town centre including along Powis Street has moved onto the next phase.

With much work already undertaken on the new “road” digging has now commenced either side for street furniture and landscaping.

This site has covered it many times but if unaware they’ll be new seating, lighting, landscaping and other street furniture though trees will remain.

Wooden benches will surround trees.

That will replace temporary tarmac lining the street.

Junctions

Work at the junction with Calderwood Street has advanced since last covered. They’ve gone for a light-coloured paving material.

Let’s hope that jetwasher isn’t mothballed again as this choice of paving will need regular deep cleaning.

Lightly coloured materials at the other end near the DLR are already starting to look dirty and tired.

That may be excusable while construction is going on, but let’s see how it shapes up.

Work at the western end has reached past Iceland. The odd thing here is that Transport for London are proposing to install a cycle lane along this area, and if that happens it could be dug up again.

Future changes?

This area will be extremely tight for any cycle lane given street changes and footfall levels, and it’d make more sense to send it along Beresford Street then Woolwich High Street.

I suspect the reason that isn’t first choice is cost – though doing this area twice won’t make much sense financially.

Still, if Greenwich Council had allocated additional income from new Woolwich developments it may have been easier to do. To give one example I was just reminded of, Woolwich Central comprising 712 homes was approved in 2022 with Transport for London requesting £944,000 in developer contributions for cycle lane improvements.

Greenwich Council instead chose £150,000 and £750,000 to GLLaB. That has been commonly seen at other town centre sites.

Back to the western end of the street near the DLR, and it’s goodbye to those 1980s pavement setts from when the street was first part-pedestrianised.

Market

Just behind where the above image was taken is where many market traders are now located and given high footfall it wouldn’t be a surprise if many wanted to stay put rather than return to Beresford Square.

In terms of what’s happening there, well, not a great deal is different when nosing about.

The above image was taken in February, and it looks pretty much the same now in April.

One last thing as some ask whether it will extend all the way west, and the answer is no. The stretch below will remain as is.

It’s no bad thing as this area is fine. It just needs a bit more footfall.

Unfortunately a developer which purchased many buildings and evicted shopkeepers has done little for some years.

There’s some lovely bits in this area that with sensitive development could really make this end of the town shine.

So far the developer shows little sign of taking that approach.