Lewisham offer update on potential opening after major flood at new development

Lewisham Council have given an update on what’s happening at Lewisham Gateway’s second phase after a major flood saw hundreds of residents forced out.

It’s not massively more informative than what the developer themselves stated last November, but it does state pedestrian through routes will hopefully reopen by summer this year though it’s not too firm a commitment: “The public space may be opened before, possibly in summer 2026.”

Lewisham Council don’t seem too happy, stating that “despite our efforts, there has been minimal communication from the developers with the public and Council about the works and plans to reopen.”

Flooding impacted energy across the site, and it’s claimed “technical and insurance experts are in the final stages of agreeing what works will be required to fix the energy centre and associated issues. All works are expected to be done and the site reopened by October this year, but this is reliant on works starting as soon as possible.”

So no guarantee it will be by the end of this year.

Pipes have been replaced following flooding and water supply will be turned on shortly to each building.

Substantial site

Lewisham Gateway was built across two phases over an extremely long time period. Get Living operate the build-to-rent site in phase two now fully empty after the flood. It was built by Balfour Beatty for developer Muse.

The site includes 649 units and a former roundabout was removed for building. The new layout consisting of a number of lanes in each direction around the site.

A number of commercial spaces are featured at street level. Not one had been open when flooding hit the overall site, though a Sainsbury’s Local was believed imminent.

According to Lewisham’s latest update “nearly 70% of the commercial floor space is under offer, with leases for the cinema, gym, and supermarket expected to be completed very soon. The commercial units depend on the infrastructure provided in the energy centre and will begin fitting out later this year.”

That’s an issue to watch. Before the flood we’d heard that fit-outs and agreements were imminent though little of substance happened for years.

Council response

Councillor James-J Walsh, Lewisham Council’s Cabinet Member for Inclusive Regeneration and Planning said:

“Lewisham Council granted planning permission on the clear understanding that this development would be completed and functioning as a neighbourhood by now, but that has not happened. We will continue to press the responsible parties.

“I would like to recognise that Get Living’s support of their residents in the immediate aftermath was handled with care and urgency, with many rehomed in alternate Get Living neighbourhoods at matched rent levels. However nearly a year on, progress has been too fragmented and too slow and we need the issues resolved and the site brought back to life as soon as possible”

That statement contradicts what was heard at the time. A number of residents contacted this site to complain how poorly Get Living had handled the issue. Some stated an emailed link to book alternative Get Living homes in London at other sites wasn’t sent promptly, and when it did arrive all units were gone.

Limited options

That left people with the choice of moving to Get Living sites outside of London in Leatherhead and Maidenhead, facing longer and more expensive commutes. The alternative was having to find their own alternative home at very short notice. One stated:

“Updates have come in piecemeal until suddenly, we were thrown into what felt like a raffle – either securing a place in a reasonable area, being sent miles away, or being left with nothing.”

Another stated they were given less than a month to find somewhere of their own if a site out of London wasn’t suitable.

If you were one of those who did have to leave feel free to email your experience and what happened. If you were unable to secure one of the limited alternative Get Living unit in London and moving to a place like Leatherhead wasn’t ideal, were all costs covered when having to find a new home? It’s not cheap having to pay a new deposit, up front rent payments and the cost of using a removal company.

Phase 1

While phase 1 of the project avoided the problems that beset phase 2, it’s hardly been a glowing success.

As an example the public realm is in very poor condition in places – and left so for years on end.

One of the first things people see when arriving in Lewisham is broken and filthy street furniture.

Photos don’t really do it justice. Have a look if passing. It’s utterly rank. Not the litter so much as stained and damaged street furniture. Paving is extremely grimy. It’s another example of new public apparently never maintained after completion.

It doesn’t give a great deal of homes that phase two will be looked after when it finally opens up again.