Changes planned at Woolwich Island Site project
A long standing plan to develop the Woolwich “Island Site” has seen revisions submitted.
The site sits in the town centre and surrounded by Calderwood Street, Thomas Street, Polytechnic Street and Wellington Street.
Plans have been around for many years as buildings on site have been left to fall into disrepair.
A familiar site in Woolwich (see also Woolwich Exchange and the covered market).
It’s now nearing a quarter of a century since some buildings across the site, which was home to Woolwich Polytechnic – were occupied.
The arrival of the Elizabeth line more than four years ago did little to speed up work. Nor did the DLR’s arrival in 2009 speed much up.
Like that other long delayed project plans for Woolwich Island – covered on this site back in 2016 – would have seen a cinema on site.
A revised plan was later approved but that too has not yet been built. The Earl of Chatham pub remains.
Some of the plots best buildings will remain with new builds mostly facing Wellington Street.
A rooftop extension is to be built above the building on the right in the above image.
The most recent approval saw 485 co-living units and 20 flats for social rent. Co-living is similar to student housing or akin to a HMO or bedsits, with around 7 to 8 rooms per shared kitchen/living/dining area.
And that brings us to yet more changes which have appeared online this week.
Changes
Revisions are mostly centred around altering floor layouts via a reduction in cycle parking and removal of storage areas.
The question now is whether after these changes anything will actually happen before the buildings crumble away.
It’s yet another site that despite excellent transport links on its doorstep has sat derelict for far, far too long.
I hope some kind of development would be approved for the Woolwich Island site soon. With construction starting in the not too distant future. I agree thia site has been left undeveloped for far too long. It has also become a bit of an eye sore has the building is falling in to a state of disrepair.
Obviously this site has some of the buildings which are possibly grade listed so careful planning is needed. After having had the town hall stone blasted it’s making the area around it looking shabby! The town centre had so much money spent on it and as there is no one keeping it washed down and cleaned is looking worse than before. Quite depressing!