Lewisham Gateway town centre development nears completion
After many years of planning, road changes, construction delays and a cinema plan falling through work on Lewisham Gateway’s final phase is finally nearing the end.
A mix of shops, housing, a gym, bakery and much else is expected is complete in coming months with fit out now underway.
External cladding work has also advanced a fair bit since a previous contractor walked off the job last year delaying the project.
Homes on site will be private rental units from Get Living. In total 629 units are included.
The below shot shows the phase two tower in the foreground with phase one behind and then Meyer Homes’ tower north of the railway station.
Pedestrian space
Those who’ve been squeezed onto the narrow pavement beside bus stops will be pleased to know more pedestrian space is coming.
A Sainsbury’s is also set to open here according to Get Living.
Most pedestrians heading to and from the town centre may wish to avoid this congested area and walk through the middle of the site.
Work continues here on fitting out commercial units. That unit seen on the left in the below image is to be a Gail’s bakery.
Once through the pedestrianised route it’s then one crossing to reach town centre shops by heading left and in time, a future pedestrianised route will lead ahead when the shopping centre is demolished.
Developer Landsec propose a new through-route to a shopping area and the High Street.
Cinema
There’s one space where it appears a cinema logo would have been attached – if the proposed operator Empire Cinemas hadn’t collapsed.
Some were rescued – but not all. There’s still no word on any replacement or whether the interior was even fitted out. The building’s design appears to include space for a company logo and looks a bit incongruous as things stand.
By the way that corner building above is just laughably bad. It’s the worst of the past twenty years all rolled into one. Those grey bands! My goodness. It’s like the worst of Tesco Woolwich’s cladding has been dug out of a skip.
That red cladding outside the potential cinema site isn’t much better either. All a bit chaotic.
The rest isn’t as poor but is rather garish.
If as expected the development does complete this year it will have taken twenty years since developer Muse were selected by Lewisham Council to develop the site.
One of the biggest changes was removing a roundabout and bus layover point for the current road layout, which has been heavily criticised by some including cyclists.
Something tells me further changes will be proposed in years to come.
But before that news is awaited on that cinema. Will it happen?
I suspect the original cladding contractor walked off the scheme due to their embarrassment.
Who would want their name associated with this monstrosity? Lego, perhaps.
Let’s be thankful, maggies cafe is still hear.
Yes, the best little treasure to come out of lewisham
Details as to the base fit-out of the cinema are here: https://www.apexstructures.co.uk/lewishams-first-major-multiplex-cinema/
(sadly there is no visibility on any progression beyond the bare fit, however).
If the cinema doesn’t move in, it could be used as a theatre! At least as a temporary measure.
The area desperately needs art spaces or independent retailers/restaurants. If they were to move in the people would come and all will fall into place.
I couldn’t agree more the cladding looks ugly. Hopefully, once the retailers move in it will be less distracting with the added signs etc. I see that they planted some trees facing the station side, which is nice to see. However, the trees on the opposite side of the Premier Inn are all dead and need replacing.
Such an ugly, lifeless waste of an opportunity it genuinely feels like people should go to jail.
Couldn’t agree more. Woeful.
That first picture is an ugly mish-mash of discordant styles, but that is what passes for “architecture” these days.
Future carbunkle cup winner. That cliff face of red plastic cladding. Appalling.
What concerns me most is that Gail’s are opening up a branch here and not Ole & Steen which is much better. Gail’s isn’t as good.
First world problem. Just get a bus to Greenwich and go to the Ole & Steen on Creek Road.
Seems a lot of hassle to go through just to get some pastry don’t you think?
I’ll say it again. You need more independent businesses not copy/paste chains.
Yeah, I don’t mind. The only reason I prefer Ole & Steen to Gail’s is that they have much better vegan range so if an independent establishment provides that it’s all good.
I had not been to Lewisham for a few years, bearing in mind I used to work there, and I got lost driving through towards New Cross (from Lee), Soon worked it out but the new T junction confused me as I initially turned left towards Catford….. putting in this tight bend towards London is bonkers, it’s not helped traffic flow at all.
I’ve been thro’ by train regularly recently and have to say that the close proximity of the tower blocks to Lewisham station is shocking, just hope the poor residents that are an arms length from the platform are keen train spotters !!
Overall I think that Lewisham has now been mostly ruined beyond belief…….
I’m completely and utterly underwhelmed!
The question is why does gail expect people of lewisham are going to (be able to) pay for their 5 pound croissants
Well I wouldn’t but maybe some will. Lewisham is a major hub and not everyone heading through is poor/unwilling to pay those prices.