Woolwich town centre building sold in advance of development
A block in Woolwich town centre beside Beresford Square looks set to be demolished and redeveloped.
Developer Packaged Living and Buccleuch have purchased the site and intend to build a co-living development comprising of 150 rooms.
It’s not within the Woolwich conservation area and had previously been advertised for sale.
I recently had a nose about the place including the rear. Iceland used to occupy the site before moving to Powis Street.
A substantial site next door last year saw revised plans for housing and retail at the former Woolwich poly school site and market pound.
That’s set to feature 918 student rooms and 409 co-living rooms.
Most development in Woolwich now appears to mostly feature student development and co-living units. Over the road 299 student rooms are now rising at the old Catholic Club, while an adjacent block was recently approved.
That will see 120 student rooms.
Income
When Greenwich recently revised Commuinity Infrastrucutre Levy rates existing low student levy rates payable by developers to the autority were not increased, with the council claiming a lack of local precedent though other authorities have recently managed to do so.
Bromley, for example, set a student levy rate comfortably higher than Greenwich despite litte prior student development within the borough. Instead they used a wider regional measure to estimate rates which was accepted by the planninng examinor.
Thus we see areas near excellent tranpsort links such as Woolwich and Greenwich with very low rates to improve amenities and services within the borough.
It’s quite something when a place like Exeter levies a higher charge on developers than areas of Greenwich borough.
Greenwich have also specifically set co-living at a lower rate than residential, so many of these new proposals will bring in less revenue than could have been the case.
Compare that rate to, say, Lambeth.
Setting a specific lower rate for co-living is unusual. Very few other authorities have done so.
Overall Greenwich’s record for obtaining funding is not the best through setting low CIL rates in 2015, failing to revise in 2018 as previously committed to do three years prior then when they finally do so (six years late) opting for low rates on the two biggest sectors of development growth.
As least we might now see some progress on the site now. Hopefully the building will be demolished and construction startedlp on the site in the very near future. Too many sites and empty buildings are being left empty for far too long.. while many of
the any empty buildings are falling in to a state of disrepair.
I agree Graham. It is good to see empty buildings brought back in to use or redeveloped to provide new homes.
We need more new homes rather than more student accommodation and hotels.
Michael D I also agree with your comnents an excellent post.
Great news, the current building is a bit of an eyesore. Such a prominent site deserves something better. Hopefully, as Graham says, work will start soon.
I wonder how, or if, this will affect the landscaping plan for around the new market pavilion. It seems wasteful to landscape up to the side of the building for it all to be dug up soon.
100% agreeing with you two! We have lived in Woolwich, closer to Plumstead for about 3 years now, and it s so sad to see how the majority of the people living in the area do not care of common spaces and do not feel a sense of community and instead keep on throwing rubbish around, spitting on the street, leaving the dog poop behind. It is so frustrating. Sad to see how things are so different in RA compared to Woolwich.
Ok that’s getting ridiculous now the amount of student accommodation and co-living. I don’t like the way this is all ‘short term’ tenure as this will not help creating a community or having people that care about the area for having invested in it.
I might be wrong but I think having some actual apartment sell for a healthier mix would be better.
Although redeveloping the area is a good news and no comment on the CIL rates… they are laughable but that’s good old RBG…
Murky when are you finally joining the council?!!! 😀
You’re absolutely right there, I do worry about the number of co-living developments too, that’s not going to create a successful community. The unfortunate truth is that Woolwich won’t improve until the demographic shifts. Market-rate apartments bring in people on a higher income, who, generally speaking, will care about where they live and respect the environment around them. The contrast between the Royal Arsenal and the rest of the town centre clearly demonstrates that. Public spaces around the Arsenal are clean and pleasant, not because there are workers continuously running around cleaning up after everyone, it’s because the community there are invested in where they live and actually care enough not to destroy it. The landscaping improvements around the town are great, but ultimately it’s all about the people.
You are 100% correct in what you say Michael D. You make very valid comments. Woolwich will not improve until the demographic changes.
“Co living units”will be the tool for councils to house homeless people in future mark my words. When hotels are too expensive this is the solution. Private developers and landlords will make bank every step of the way at the expense of the taxpayer it’s so painfully obvious. Corrupt as hell from governments and councils who pretend to care about finances but have a system designed to benefit the wealthy and to hell with everybody else
Co-living rooms cost £300+ per week. They are cheap to build, as they have shared facilities. They’re all about maximising profits for the developer. It’s obscene that local authorities allow these cash-cow developments to be built, while they themselves are bowing under the financial strain of providing temporary accommodation.
Pingback: Royal Arsenal Gatehouse work in Woolwich well underway - Murky Depths
Pingback: Woolwich Beresford Square upgrade project looking ever closer to completion - Murky Depths