A look at new developments along the Greenwich and Woolwich rail line

Covering numerous developments and plans on this site can sometimes see it all blurring together and forgetting what is proposed (see recent approved homes in Woolwich) so I thought it’d be handy to see what’s currently underway.

This post will look at stations from Deptford to Dartford via Woolwich Arsenal, and with many new homes there’s good news in that rail services will be boosted from December to serve them all. But without further ado, let’s start in Deptford.

While there’s much proposed across town probably the biggest site underway is a plot on the Deptford Landings development. In total 189 homes are included at Plot 6 of the masterplan. A fair bit of the overall site remains empty.

Moving closer to the High Street and work on converting the former Tidemill school into homes is just about complete.

A total of 209 homes are included.

As said I won’t be looking at forthcoming plans so no Sun Wharf or others around the creek. There’s also the vast 3,000-home Convoy’s Wharf site though after more than a decade since approval nothing has been built.

Greenwich

Heading slightly further east and Greenwich sees a couple of sites on Norman Road.

One is Saxon Wharf with 158 homes a short distance from the station.

A little distance north is a student tower that’ll be rather taller upon completion.

This is from developer Tribe and piling is now underway on site.

Upon completion they’ll be 414 student rooms in the 27-floor tower.

There’s also a hotel at the bottom of Greenwich South Street within a former school and adjacent Magistrates’ Court.

Quite a few reserved matters were recently submitted for the site and it looks like it may have begun.

Another site is the former Greenwich Town Hall. Conversion to residential usage is in motion with 73 homes when complete.

Further east in Greenwich and the same distance from both Maze Hill and Westcombe Park is the latest blocks at Greenwich Millennium Village which are now seeing the first residents.

Those blocks are situated in between north Greenwich tube and the railway stations and while most will probably use the tube, the railway line isn’t too far away.

Charlton

Heading further east and upon leaving Greenwich stations we reach Charlton.

Two sites at Eastmoor Street are at various levels of progress. One smaller block is finished while an adjacent block is just starting.

The smaller of the two totals 67 homes with the next block totalling 188.

The former Stone Foundries site will also see a 5,000-capacity venue for a number of years.

Woolwich Dockyard

Former estates are being redeveloped here and the closest station is Woolwich Dockyard.

Work at the former Morris Walk north is finished.

Morris Walk south has been underway though work paused last week after nearby buildings saw structural damage.

A nearby site at Maryon Grove is also approved. Work totals 766 homes.

Woolwich Arsenal

Now onto Woolwich which is the development hotspot despite many sites sitting vacant for many years.

But not all, and one of the most visible is Woolwich Central facing General Gordon Square. Phases three and four include 712 homes.

Another site now underway is Ropeyards on Beresford Street.

The image below was taken last week. 660 homes are rising here. They’re close to six recently built towers, with the final two now just about complete.

Further along Beresford Street sits a new student block named Press House.

Two adjacent blocks include 429 rooms.

As an aside, when looking at the street above its a great shame some foresight wasn’t used to create an attractive streets given what is pretty much a blank slate on either side.

Wider pavements, trees lining the road on both sides and dedicated cycle lanes would have worked. As it is, none of that has happened. Existing trees sit on one side but in terms of the street all we see is a new lay-by. Another major development is approved on the left in the above image.

Further away in Woolwich is the Brookhill estate rebuild.

A total of 254 homes are due on site.

Then there’s the large sight behind Woolwich Waves. it appears demolition work is now underway. When complete that site will see 558 homes.

There’s plenty more sites approved in Woolwich but spades havn’t yet hit the ground. one such site is above the eastern end of the Elizabeth line station. First approved twelve years ago, work may begin soon.

Other long proposed sites include Macbean Street, Woolwich Exchange and TfL’s three DLR plots vacant since the line opened 17 years ago.

Plumstead

Not to be left behind is Plumstead. While total developments sit below Woolwich it has the biggest site along the line at Lombard Square.

In total 1,913 homes are on the way with some just becoming occupied now.

Nearby is a rebuilt college with 282 homes coming across the site. One block has been built with others set to follow.

Abbey Wood

Despite having an Elizabeth line station Abbey Wood remains sluggish with numerous long vacant sites across the town.

A total of 329 homes at south Thamesmead is now complete from Peabody though there’s no sign of any work on phases 3-7 closer to the station.

Others stalled include the former Post Office site and a plot on the former Harrow Inn site.

A hotel and co-living development on a former vets and car wash has gone nowhere for 10+ years. Other plots such as Cross Quarter phase two mere seconds from the station and owned by Peabody have zero plans whatsoever.

Belvedere

Not a great deal here. Plenty approved. Around 2,000 homes in fact but progress is very slow.

Erith

The quarry site is ongoing and when complete will total 850 homes.

There’s also blocks on West Street underway including from Bexley Council’s off-shoot developer BexleyCo built upon a park. They’ve struggled to sell and so are now being rented as a short term measure.

Slade Green

Not a great deal currently underway though a few smaller developments are on the cards, including one site featuring 48 homes near the station.

Dartford

We’ll call it quits now at Dartford where the biggest site is Copperhouse Green.

A range of blocks have been built with some now underway. This site features 700 homes.

Later this year work should also speed up on 69 homes at Westgate including the former co-op shop. In addition a few conversions to residential use have been seen recently across the town centre including the former Post Office building and Town Hall.

Growth

The scale of housing growth is pretty impressive given how sluggish housebuilding generally is across London and the wider country, with totals in the past decade at extremely low levels compared to most of the past 150 years.

Despite that there remains many, many sites left undeveloped with planning approval given 10, 20 or even 30+ years ago.

When it comes to transport the good news is Southeastern rail cuts along the line made in 2022 will finally be reversed from this December. Services not only important to reach central London but feed into Elizabeth line and DLR interchange.

In their wisdom the Department for Transport are cutting Thameslink services but you can’t have it all. The next reduction to one per hour is due in October.

Further good news though is that when new DLR trains are in full service frequencies are set to improve and capacity boosted. In addition new Elizabeth line trains are now entering service and in a few years frequencies there will too be boosted.

As ever as new developments commence I’ll be there to document, take photos and write up the latest. if you want to support the site, find out how below.

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