Shop units also hit by Lewisham Gateway flooding
A major leak and flood at a recently completed Lewisham town centre development has also impacted commercial units across the site.
None had actually opened in the many months since the development completed despite much talk by the developer beforehand about numerous units becoming occupied.
Probably the most far along was a Sainsbury’s unit that was getting ready for fit out. No longer.
Other businesses mentioned were a Gail’s bakery, Tortilla, Blue Tit, Nebula, coffee shop Black Sheep and a Stars gym.
Aside from shop units out of action more than 400 residents will have to move out for up to a year as the flood knocked out both heating and water across the site.
Get Living are the Build-to-Rent operator behind the site – named “The Filigree” – at Lewisham Gateway and have stated residents forced into hotels in recent weeks are able to move into other Get Living sites. According to their website that means Elephant & Castle or Stratford.
Closed routes
After many years wait and a lengthy delay, a new route between the town centre and stations which opened has also been closed. Lewisham Council state:
“We are also in discussions with Get Living to ensure outside access through and around the development is retained as far as possible and regular maintenance is undertaken, while enabling works are carried out to rectify this situation.”
The development has long been blighted by problems. It sat empty for many years after Phase One completed, then saw further delay as a contractor walked off the job.
A proposed cinema operator entered administration with no replacement yet announced. Get Living suggested an announcement was near and now the flood has caused further setbacks.
I’m surprised that no effective ground intelligence was gathered. By contrast I remember each phase of the works around the peninsula involving GPR trucks of various sorts in the area for weeks at a time. Was a pipe disturbed by the works/settling or is it unrelated? Either way it’s poor form and a bad run of luck for those poor souls who just moved in.
Hopefully the council will help promote businesses to move in once it dries out, perhaps offering limited ‘pop-up’ venues or eateries to help small businesses get a taste of how retail works (for a much-reduced rent), and inject some life in the area before it can develop a bad reputation as a business deadzone.
It is a real shame to be honest.
Sadly this is not good publicity and will do little to encourage new residents and retailers to the site. To sell or rent the flats and commercial properties they may be forced to lower the purchase prices and rents to make them mote attractive to potential residents and retailers..
This was after leaks in both the Fizzy and Vita buildings. I’m no plumber but it’s been suggested this is the result of inferior materials, which presumably is a common theme across these developments.
This so-called ‘development’ is a complete mess, looks horrible, and hasn’t remotely lived up to the lowest of expectations. Quite frankly, if there were any justice in this world, all of those involved in the approval of the planning application, and in particular the managers and councillors who pushed to have it approved, would be (metaphorically speaking) strung up.
Simple solution is to change the image of high street and Lee High Rd. How many hair, nail and betting shops do you need? If Lewisham wants to change, it unfortunately needs to gentrify.