Lewisham town centre development’s public space begins to open
Work on Lewisham Gateway’s second and final stage is now nearing completion with public space beginning to open.
The development was delayed by a year after a contractor applying cladding walked off the top.
The section shown above sits near the station and offers a generous width for pedestrians bypassing the somewhat narrow path that’s been in place for some time.
A river runs through near here with partly uncovered during construction works. This is the spot where both the river Quaggy and Ravensbourne converge.
Confluence Place sits beside which is a modest green space built as part of phase one.
Back around to where a forthcoming Sainsbury’s is set to open and we can see how public space beside bus stops is shaping up.
Raised planters and landscaping is now all but complete.
Retail space will line this stretch plus the central pedestrianised spin through the site.
A prominent corner spot – as seen above when viewed from Lewisham shopping centre car park – will be home to a rock-climbing business.
One thing that was apparent having a look around phase two’s public spaces was that elements of phase one were not in the best shape.
The pavement’s were all a bit grubby too. This is a high footfall area beside both the DLR and National Rail station and requires regular upkeep.
As this development nears the finish line another is set to begin, and if you missed it there’s one final day tomorrow (Saturday 15th June) to view plans for the rebuild of Lewisham shopping centre.
At the event staff are on hand and it includes a model of the proposal. It’s open to the public at Unit 25 within the centre.
And it’s not only big developments but also public spaces including a £24 million project to change the High Street.
As covered last week the market is set to see a new pavilion installed with an application now submitted.
Part of the High Street will see new landscaping and paving installed over the next year,
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As well as phase 1 and the pavements not being in a fit state: If you look at the picture of confluence park you will see that most of the trees have sadly died. Green space very much not a priority for LBL. Wrong trees, wrong place, insufficent space.
I completely agree with the sentiments expressed in this post. It appears that maintaining and prioritizing green spaces is often overlooked. The selection of tree species, the inadequate watering schedules, and the general upkeep of these areas are consistently subpar. This neglect has significant implications for the environment and the overall aesthetic of our community spaces. It is essential that we address these issues to ensure our green spaces are properly cared for and able to thrive.
It is the sane in neighbouring Boroughs including Greenwich. Public realm and open spaces not a priority for Labour run Councils it appears.
Do not know why they making pavements smaller especially around new developments pedestrians need more space to pass each other when pushing buggies or wheelchairs for example.
They also provide planting including trees then fail to maintain them.
We need our pathways public realm and open spaces to be safe and well lit for pedestrians..