A look at Lewisham town centre upgrade: October 2026 edition
With news out last week that Lewisham town centre’s upgrade has seen a cost increase of more than £4 million it seemed about the right time to go see and take more photos of how it’s all shaping up.
First covered on this site last week, the cost increase is largely based on increases at the library and forthcoming market pavilion.
The entire project has seen costs increase to £30.5 million. £19 million is from the previous Tory goverment’s ‘Levelling-Up’ fund with the rest from Lewisham Council.
There’s not much to see from the outside at the library site given it’s shrouded in scaffolding, but progress on the pavilion is far easier to spot.
Studio Weave are behind the design as they were behind a structure beside Woolwich market on Bresford Square.
While in Woolwich that recently built building saw new toilet – which replaced a former toilet block – as well as a cafe, the structure in Lewisham is to provide shelter for market stalls and provide cover during poor weather into the evenings, with night markets planned.
It’s ironic to see so much spend improving the High Street too encourage greater footfall while the shell of Marks & Spencer sits alongside.
One of the town’s bigger draws, the company closed for good this summer to move to an out-of-town style retail park in Sydenham.
Paving and greenery
Work on new paving continues. Much is already stained and not suitable for a market environment.
Why on earth anyone would choose lightly-toned paving in such an area is a mystery. Former paving slabs were far better suited to such an environment.
The planters and landscaped sections are all but dead. Whether that changes next year remains to be seen.
As for the clocktower it didn’t look like any refurbishment work has taken place as planned.
Shopping centre
Many seem to think the adjacant shopping centre redevelopment is part of this project. It isn’t.
The High Street and library uprade is publicly funded. The shopping centre is private land.
That doesn’t stop many continually stating the council should do this or that with the shopping centre plan and its proposed redevelopment when the council don’t own it and aren’t behind the project.
That’s not to say the local authority are but a bystander with zero influence, but it really would help if those saying the council should do this or that (including within the new adminsitration) would bother to look into what powers they *do* have.
Yes, that’s calling out many local activists who talk a lot but know – or at least should do – what is possible. Claiming things are possible when they patently aren’t gets no one anywhere.
As for the council and its new Green leadership, well, what are they doing to push for better? Merely complaining won’t get you anywhere. Look for what is possible in terms of funding.
So far, scarce sign of that.
And if they put up the blockers with no plan and no push for better all that’ll happen is stagnation. They won’t see new homes – social or otherwise – as shops drift away, jobs are lost and the town declines.
Wake up and push for better rather than block, block, block. Seek funding via the new SAHP funds perhaps?
Action not words
As any reader of this site will know it’s long called for many more social homes. Yet what certain local activists (who often seem to be well-off and cosplaying concerned local people) are doing – in addition to the newly elected council leadership – will NOT achieve that.
It’s easy though to do so when not worrying about next month’s rent and mummy and daddy pay your bills.
Grandstanding versus action? Enough of the former; more of the latter.
