Second Woolwich town centre student development nears completion

A student block containing 130 rooms is nearing completion next door in Woolwich beside another recently completed sister block.

The first block to rise has been named Press House and comprises 299 rooms on the former Catholic Club site at Beresford Street.

That completed earlier this year and appears to have now welcomed its first occupants.

Following hot on its heels was a block next door sitting between Premier Inn and the first block to rise. It’s the same developer and you’d be hard pressed to notice now they were two separate plots.

The second block was initially owned by Berkeley before being purchased by developer Hurlington.

In the above image the gap where a second block has risen can just about be made out beside the hotel.

Anyway, 429 new students in town should bring a bit more life and hopefully assist nightlife, as well as provide footfall for nearby business such as the recently opened cade Bob’s Your Uncle just over the road at Beresford Square.

New homes

Further along Beresford Street when heading to the Thames is Berkeley’s Ropeyards development. When complete that’ll include 660 homes.

Work is now underway with a crane on site and the first core rising.

Every building along this side of Beresford Street is around a decade old or newer, from Ropeyards to Premier Inn then the student blocks.

Sitting behind that row of buildings lining Beresford Street will be a linear park running from a spot near Dial Square and Woolwich Elizabeth line station towards the river.

Over the road plenty more is planned along Beresford Street with Riverside House proposals around for many years.

It’s just been revised again a decade after it was sold By Greenwich Council.

And then there’s the big one; the Macbean Street site which was formerly home to Woolwich Polytechnic school. It’s been vacant since around 2010.

Approved plans include 930 student rooms, 425 co-living room and 93 affordable homes.