Abbey Wood Elizabeth line and housing: Mayor makes odd claim on growth

Today is the third birthday of the Elizabeth line. Ah, that first day. Many smiles as years of waiting had finally yielded a service truly worthy of the 21st century.

An event that brought even better public transport to Abbey Wood. I say even better as in days of yore it was good with up to ten trains during the peaks to central London which could be reached in a little over 20 minutes.

But of course now it’s even more fantastic and the Liz line has generally been wonderful. Regular, high frequency trains and fast journeys with much sublime architecture to enjoy.

However a claim was repeated today by Sadiq Khan that’s simply odd and reveals he hasn’t much of a clue about the area – and presumably neither do his advisors.

Across social media he has stated “Abbey Wood is now one of the largest regeneration areas in London, with a 6% increase in new homes.”

Housing growth?

Holding Abbey Wood up again as an exemplar of housing development due to the Elizabeth line is sure to see anyone who knows the area respond “eh?”.

The town is still chock full of land that’s been long-term vacant and undeveloped for many years. Peabody possess two sites metres from the station with one being the former Harrow Inn pub and surrounds. Five years have now passed since approval without a single brick laid.

Planning approval has now lapsed and Peabody are selling up.

Peabody’s nearby site at Cross Quarter phase two has also gone nowhere since they took over management eleven years ago from Gallions Housing Association. It’s a minute from Abbey Wood station.

Then there’s the former car wash site on the junction of Eynsham Drive and Harrow Manorway. Plans have been submitted, approved then gone again before revised, approved and as yet still no building.

And what of the 600 homes at Lyndean? Silence on that too for years. We also have large retail sheds not too far from the station such as Lidl who show no intention of building a mixed-use site.

Then there was Bexley Council’s plan for homes on a car park seconds from the station with commercial space below. Now it’s very much on the back burner.

Abbey Wood an example of strong development post-transport improvements? Absolutely not. One development – Hub’s build to rent tower – has completed since the new line opened three years ago.

One more of rather modest size at the former Post Office is rising after a decade of talk. That’s not exceptional by any standard.

Confusion

Perhaps Khan is confused and lumping Thamesmead in with Abbey Wood?

If so he’s wrong on that front too. After eleven years of control Peabody have completed one solitary plot out of a planned seven across the Housing Zone sites. One!

The second phase is currently two years late and counting. Some of the seven aren’t even planned to begin for many years despite the housing problems in London.

Peabody’s current rate of progress is likely to see some sites sit empty for another 15-20 years just minute’s from Abbey Wood station.

Transport success, housing failure

I’ve waxed lyrical about the the Elizabeth line many times and despite hiccups it’s a wonderful asset to the city but Abbey Wood and Thamesmead are not great examples to give highlighting how new transport immediately leads to a rapid increase in new housing.

Can transport help facilitate building? Certainly it can and we need much more like it yet housing growth is all too often sluggish even beside wonderful new lines. To highlight Abbey Wood as an example of things going well is a worrying sign of a Mayor that’s out of touch.

If anything it’s a place that highlights problems with a chronic lack of housebuilding.

Whether it’s a Housing Association, Local Authority or private land no sector have exactly impressed in Abbey Wood nor Thamesmead since Crossrail was signed off 15 years ago.