Woolwich Barracks: Strategy adoption leads way for 1,920 homes
Plans to close most of Woolwich Barracks and build almost 2,000 homes will take a step forward if Greenwich adopt a planning strategy for the area.
A council cabinet meeting next week looks set to approve a Supplementary Planning Document following consultation last year.
The Ministry of Defence announced disposal of the site in 2016 under the Conservative government with a target date of 2028.
So far that plan doesn’t appear halted and will continue under the Labour government, though whether current world events change the situation remains to be seen.
The plan is currently being worked on between Greenwich Council and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation on behalf of the MOD. A far smaller presence would remain in one part of the site with The King’s Troop Royal Horses Artillery remaining.
The report states “The final SPD proposed for adoption takes on board the feedback received during these consultations”. Housing totals remain at 1,920.
Borough archives
Greenwich Council’s archives are currently situated in Charlton having been removed from the Royal Arsenal when Woolwich Works was built. Calls have been made to give it a new permanent home open to the public rather than limited access in Charlton.
The report notes “while the Main Barracks building cannot accommodate the Greenwich Archives due to its sensitive heritage requirements, the Archives may be located elsewhere on the site subject to development timescales, design considerations, viability, and other relevant factors aligning.”
A number of listed and protected areas exist across the site. A low-rise plan for development is being pursued owing to that.
Homes
As with most public land it’ll be private developers leading the way in a likely public private partnership model. This model is being pushed by the current Labour govenment and Mayor despite a patchy record – at best.
Many sites have have seen glacial progress on public land of which Woolwich has plenty of examples. See the Woolwich Arsenal DLR sites which saw a TfL partnership with Oakmayne announced. After 17 years not a single building has been built.
Further public land owned by TfL above the eastern end of the Elizabeth line was approved 12 years ago. Nothing happened.
A new public private partnership has been adopted with Berkeley Homes. Nothing has yet started and just today Berkeley were highlighting issues with future building. Another decade sitting empty?
If the last and current governments were not ideologically opposed to public bodies pushing ahead to build directly on a large-scale, much needed homes would be built and revenue help supporting the transport network.
But no, it must be the failed model of public private partnerships on public land. If that’s the goal at Woolwich Barracks don’t be surprised to see acres of vacant, neglected land for many years.
If anything the Labour government are more opposed than the Conservative government. See the Kidbrooke council housing development currently nearing completion. Projects like that won’t be starting under this government.
Transport
Woolwich has excellent transport links though that hasn’t sped up many long vacant sites such as the aforementioned Armourers Court approved 12 years ago and Woolwich DLR sites announced 17 years ago.
The barracks is a vast site with some parts closer to Woolwich Arsenal station whilst others are in closer proximity to Woolwich Dockyard station from which it’s a pretty quick trip to central London stations. Woolwich Dockyardrail tickets for central London are also cheaper being in zone 3 as opposed to zone 4 for Woolwich Arsenal.
Woolwich Dockyard station is currently the quietest on the line and skipped by Thameslink. However it should see strong growth if housing is built on the Barracks. In addition more than 700 homes are being built at estate redevelopments nearby.
Greenwich Council recently revealed the possibility of redeveloping further estates near the station with a net increase of 1,000 homes.
If the Barracks does close save for a small presence in one corner it’ll be the latest retrenchment from Woolwich. Vast tracts of land have been sold over recent decades including the Royal Arsenal which closed in the 1990s.
Cambridge Barracks was demolished in 1972. It was formerly the Royal Marine Barracks.
Much of that site was flattened with barely any record remaining.
As for the forthcoming development across Woolwich Barracks, it should at least see more buildings and areas of merit retained. Click here to view the full 109 pages of the area SPD.
It a a shame the Barracks have to go at all. At a time the World lives in such unstable times.
That said I hope tbe housing will be sympathetic with the history of the Barracks which has been a najor part of the history of Woolwich. While maintaining as many original buildings as possible. The main building overlooking the parade ground could be converted in to luxury period apartments with priority going to house ex-Armed Forces Personnel and other key workers in tbe Borough. Who need help renting or buying a home. Like NHS and Emergency Services staff.
Absolutely agree with C. Personally I would like to see the Barracks remain as a fully operational Barracks. I believe their is still a strong need for the Barracks in the dangerous world we live in today with recent events around the world.
I also agree any housing buikt on the site should be for ex armed Forces Personnel and key workers. Especially in the large historic building overlooking the parade ground which could be nice period luxury apartments.. we need to maintain this listed buildings heritage which has been a major part of Woolwich’s history as a Garrison Town.
I would also like to see Lee Rigbys name used to name a building or road on the new development as a legacy to this brave soldiers memory. So he is never allowed to be forgotten..
We always welcome new homes.. But
Where is all the additional infrastructure for these thousands of new home in and around Woolwich and other areas of the Borough of Greenwich. We are seeing Sadiq Khan Labour Mayor of London cutting local bus services many of which serve Queen Elizabeth Hospital. We are not seeing an increase in GP Surgeries, Hospitals. Schools, dentist and other amenities to meet an ever growing demand for a growing local population.
With such high density housing we also neec to maintain some of our open spaces for residents to use as fewer and fewer homes now have gardens.
No no no…please don’t destroy this beautiful historic building. A tragedy for the Woolwich community past and present. Although a listed building defacing it with modern properties will be tantamount to demolition of the building where generations of soldiers who fought for the country lived and worked. (Including my grandparents)
The properties will not be for the local community who have lived and worked here for decades, but only for newbies that don’t bring any benefit or understanding of the historic environment of Woolwich. Just people that move here for the convenience of commuting to central London. The local people will NOT benefit from these new properties AT ALL! All for PROFIT!!! Destruction of our local heritage…centuries of it! All for GREED AND CAPITALISM! It’s disgraceful. Our forefathers are spinning in their graves. What for? MONEY!! Not the legacy of our past and future!!! Shame on the people who have let this happen!!!!!!! I’m devastated.
We also more homes for older and disabled residents along with more amenities for older and disabled people. Including day care centes etc. As part of new larger developments. As the elderly and disabled are largely forgotten when planning for new developments.
Well said CDT and Graham. We certainly do need mote suitable housing for elderlly and disabled residents. We also do need more infrastructure like new GP Surgeries, Hospitals, Schools facilities for the elderly and disabled including day cate centes so they can get out and mix with other people to end loneliness.
They are often forgotten by Developers and the Government when it comes to public services and new developments.
We also need to see improvements to local bus services serving new developments.l linking to stations hospitals and town centres after seeing lots of bus routes havibg their frequencies reduced. Developers are encouraging new new developments to be largely car free with very limited parking spaces.
You keep building new homes please tell me who can afford them when there are so many people on the housing waiting list and also how about building a new hospital that is so urgently needed one hospital is all we have