Kidbrooke Village’s next phase sees proposed design changes

Work on the next phase of Kidbrooke Village on the former Ferrier estate looks set to begin in earnest this year with a number of further plans being submitted.

Those applications include alterations to previous designs. This proposal covers a part of Phase 5 which lines Kidbrooke Park Road. Phases are exactly completing in order with some parts of phase 5 already built while elements of phase 3 and even phase 2 lag behind.

Changes submitted by Berkeley Homes include “typical levels floor to floor height reduced from 3075mm to 3000mm” and “all upper-level terraces removed.”

A substation is also being moved resulting in an area of blank façade at street level. Before Christmas a construction plan was submitted.

Phase 5 isn’t without controversy as it covers what was a green space and sees the removal of a number of trees. Across the entire phase 1,144 residential units have been approved – an increase of 258 above the previous 886 approved homes. Most phases have been increased when detailed plans arrive.

Overall development

A total of six phases are to be built across the wider Kidbrooke Village development. Phase 6 has yet to start – with no detailed plans seen as of yet.

If it follows the same pattern an increase in homes compared to outtine approval is likely.

Upon completion around 5,500 homes will be constructed across all phases – before any revision to phase 6. In addition Kidbrooke is seeing 619 homes from TfL’s property arm Places for London.

Greenwich Council are building 452 homes opposite Aldi with around 100 more proposed in town on Rochester Way.

Another future development site is seen above to the left of phase two on Moorehead Way. Plans on site were rejected some years ago though Greenwich Council latest draft Local Plan foresees homes on site.

With Aldi also possibly being a development site in coming years as listed in the draft Local Plan Kidbrooke’s total housing could easily reach 7,000 homes across all plots.

Transport

A rapidly growing town hasn’t stopped public transport cuts however.

Just before Christmas bus route 178 which links new homes to Woolwich and Queen Elizabeth hospital saw service reductions.

In addition rail cuts made in 2022 by government who have controlled Southeastern since 2021 are still in place and look set to continue for another year at least.

Kidbrooke station saw annual growth of 15 per cent in the latest figures with all stations on the line seeing healthy increases. Not enough to reverse 2022 cuts.