Southwark’s £411k developer funds for Druid Street Beer Mile upgrade

Southwark Council are set to green light £411k for street work on Druid Street near London Bridge at a meeting tomorrow.

Work is set to see a new segregated cycle lane, planting and trees plus new footways.

Money for the project derives from from Section 106 revenue obtained from developers in the borough. Funds from three sites allocated to transport and public realm are to be pooled to fund the project.

Druid Street runs parallel to the railway near London Bridge and meets Cycleway 4 which currently runs from Greenwich but will extend to Woolwich.

In this part of Southwark is forms a wider project named the ‘Low Line’ which forms a walking route along railway viaducts in Bankside, London Bridge and Bermondsey.

The “beer mile” is located in the area with a number fo small-scale breweries located among the railway arches. Widened footways are to be built to accommodate visitors.

New homes are also on the way on Druid Street at the junction with Abbey Street on the former site of Beormund Community Centre.

A replacement centre is planned below housing. Around 100 units are expected.

Contrasts

What is notable about this decision is it again contradicts Greenwich’s Council’s long-held stance – often repeated by councillors – that Section 106 revenue couldn’t improve areas such as estates, streets, parks and the wider public realm across the borough – though mostly in the poorer areas.

That’s despite numerous councils often doing exactly that and even Greenwich on occasion when it suited for pet projects. Then it was back to the party line when residents would request improvement at meetings (“We can’t afford it and cannot spend S106 like that”) or when writing to councillors. Usually throwing blame elsewhere to boot.

Once again another authority shows that to be a nonsense. Meanwhile Greenwich are sitting on many millions of unspent Section 106 revenue.