Greenwich Council reveal agreement for 3,000 new homes in Charlton
Greenwich Council have announced an agreement with Hyde Housing Assoication for 3,000 homes just before consultaion into new homes began this week in Charlton.
Hyde revealed images of future phases of a 1,212-home development named Herringham Quarter as covered earlier this week. The first plots were approved six years ago but little has happened since, save for some site clearance.
Shortly before consultation on further plots commenced this week Greenwich Council leader Anthony Okereke revealed an agreement with Hyde at the London Real Estate Forum on Wednesday. The Council also own a number of sites across lower Charlton which are part of the Charlton Riverside masterplan site adopted a decade ago.
Though whilst buying some plots in 2021 they were looking at selling others in 2020. It’s been lacking in any real direction since talk started around 15 years ago.
Overall homes on the Charlton Riverside site have jumped over the past 15 years from 3.500-5,000 up to 7.500 and now 8,000, but only now are we seeing the first plot complete and second commence.
Momentum
Greenwich Council and Hyde working together should certainly help give a bit more drive and enable stronger overall guidance given fragmented land ownership, yet already some core tenants of the prior masterplan have been lost.
Last year Greenwich planners approved a distribution warehouse near Bugsby’s Way that will hinder and impede a previously proposed east-west public transport link across the masterplan area and serving 8,000-homes, as well as thousands more on either side including those in west Woolwich and Charlton peninsula.
Compounding that are new plans for a data centre which could render a direct, fast public transport for thousands of proposed homes dead and buried.
Transport
Greenwich Council have stated they’re pushing for better transport and announced an agreement with TfL but no details have emerged and the chipping away at a proposed direct, fast, efficient link does not bode well.
Adding to that we’ve also seen TfL recently cut buses serving the area when the SL11 replaced the 472 in a move supported by Greenwich Council.
Whilst the 3,000 home plan announced this week isn’t yet underway, plenty more new homes nearby are impacted by those bus cuts as is the Royal Greenwich Trust School. Local MP Matt Pennycook visited it this week. He has been silent on bus cuts in the area inpacting the school and many new homes, yet in the past has been vocal on the need for public transport to support new housing and services.
He was also rather louder when the Tories cut local rail services. A different story of course when it’s his own party doing the cutting.
Other sites that will see fewer buses since recent cuts include 900 homes being built at the ‘Triniy Walk’ sites plus 250 in Charlton at sites near the Thames Barrier. There’s also the Albion pub site which looks like it could start soon as reserved matters are submitted.
All round it’s a rather odd scenario whereby TfL and Greenwich have very recently supported reduced buses in the area beside a large number of homes currently under construction, yet now put out press releases about signing agreements for better transport in the very same spot.
One wonders if there’s any sort of strategic knowledge.
All that while agreeing developments such as a warehouse and potentially a data centre that will seriously impact on a crucial public transport link for new homes and its long-term viability.
Back to the start
So what can we expect in terms of public transport for new homes?
Perhaps more buses stopping – on a potentially slower route – though that is likely to merely bring overall levels of buses stopping in lower Charlton back to what they previously were.
No doubt that’ll be heralded as a great success by TfL and Greenwich. Yet it’s possible extra buses won’t even run through to the both east and west, with the 301 possibly extending to Charlton from Woolwich. That doesn’t make up for recent cuts in buses heading to North Grenwich tube and areas of employment to the west.
As for truly transformative transport changes – as TfL once proposed in the 2000s via the Greenwich Waterfront Transit – to support 8,000 homes in lower Charlton and 20,000 in Greenwich? No real sign of that.
It’s a bit like areas of Thamesmead with major growth plans that would have once been served by Greenwich Waterfront Transit. Instead what we see now is relative penny change allocated (see the extremely weak proposed improvements from North Thamesmead to Woolwich Elizabeth line station) as the North Thamesmead DLR plan instead sees billions, while key areas seeing thousands of new homes miss out on any substantive investment and flounder.
The flawed Thamesmead DLR plan (most in Thamesmead would still seek the Liz line not the slower, less frequent DLR which won’t link to Abbey Wood for interchange) is where almost all money and effort is going – while other major areas of growth across south east London see little.
Overall this announcement of joint working is welcome but until Greenwich and TfL announce some real transport improvements – after supporting recent bus cuts – it’s all a little odd on the transport front. And without that, it won’t succeed.
Of course the new homes are very much welcomed and will greatly help to regenerate this area.
But where is the extra infrastructure? GP Surgeries, Dentist, Shops, Schools, Nuseries, new local bus routes etc.
Along with improvements to drains, sewage, roads etc to cope the demand the extra from the homes/residents.
I agree with you C where is the extra infrastructure, teansport and extra amenties? Superloop bus routes are not the only answer we need more local stopping bus services. More GP Surgeries, dentist, hospitals, schools and shops.
The Borough is struggling to cope has it is with the extra demand put on local services. TFL has already cut bus services serving Kidbrooke despite hundteds of new homes having been built or under construction.
I agree 100% C.
Build build build is not the answer with out the improved infrastructure being put in place.
We are also seeing hundreds of student rooms being built around the Borough. Where is the infrastructure and amenties to cope with the influx of students. It all puts peessure on existing services.
Again, building more and more, without any improvement in transport. Where is the DLR or underground? Kidbrooke has seen a massive increase of housing just to have bus services being cut. Bring underground or dlr between woolwich charlton kidbrooke and lewisham. That would create a perfect connection with the future bakerloo and the lizzy
Nah they aint welcome. More ahrsin we don’t need on ere n wot abahrt green space. Are they buildin on it n all. Yeah n wot abahrt dentists, GPs, shops. I reckon our area won’t cope with all the extra demand n thass all there is to it on ere.
I agree where is the new infrastructure. Not only to supply services to these new homes.
Whete is the transport improvements to cope witj an ever increasing demand. including more trains; and loca buses.
We do also need more Hospitals; GP Surgeries, Nurseries, Schools shops , Leisure Centres, Restaurants and ooen spaces. People living in high density housing do.need open spaces where they can go to relax outside with family and friends and where their children can play.
So tnis needs to form part of any futute planning applications being approved in the Borough.
if you look at the Socail housing developments that Hyde Housing Association have built since 2000 in the borough you will see the standards of Housing Keeping????. one of them Cambridge house Artillery Road Woolwich, to name one of many sites.
again infrastructure if you had a choice would you visit A/E dept at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woolwich????
Greenwich’s Labour Party only seems to understand the ‘needs’ of developers never the needs of the people who live in the tower blocks. I guess there is no money in green spaces, surgeries and bus routes?