Riverside House development to begin as SET Woolwich given notice

Arti studios SET Woolwich have announced they will close in advance of redevelopment of the site.

The lease is ending after redevelopment plans were approved. Around 600 artists are based in the buildings which also includes a music and performance space named SET Vault.

Student housing and a hotel were given the green light in 2024.

A goodbye party for SET Woolwich is to be held on Friday 6 August.

Former owners

Riverside House was sold by Greenwich Council despite a burgeoning housing crises with homeless households rising sharply.

After being sold it was announced that the block would be converted to housing under new private owners though that went nowhere before SET became established in 2021.

Recently approved in 2024 plans moved from standard residential to student homes and a hotel, which will retain the building’s core structure but feature re-cladding and a small extension.

It’s the latest of a number of student blocks in this stretch of road.

Riverside House wasn’t the only site sold by the local authority despite an increasing issue with a severe lack of public housing, with nearby plots including neighbouring Callis Yard (a former council depot) while over the road the former Waterfront car park was old to Berkeley.

Next up we should find out if the Waterfront itself has been sold after it closes later this year.

As public land was disposed, a lack of public housing has seen the authority spend millions in taxpayers money to house households in expensive private, temporary accommodation.

In recent months Greenwich Council appear to have been paying Berkeley Homes full market prices to buy new homes a short distance away from where public land sold.