Thousands of homes coming to Charlton Riverside as industry waves goodbye

 

Numerous plans appear to be moving forward in demolishing much industrial land in Charlton to become housing. One such sign could be that Greenwich Council are looking to purchase a warehouse by the Thames Barrier for over £500k, located at 95-105 Eastmoor Street in Charlton. The site has been advertised for sale recently, as can be seen here. It is a site no longer listed as industrial in the last Charlton Masterplan.

If this area is in line for alteration to residential it matches other schemes being taken forward. Rockwell Residential has purchased some plots of land totalling 15 acres and have a site here with preliminary info. They state:

“Rockwell and its partners have acquired approximately 15 acres of brownfield land at Charlton Riverside.

This strategic waterfront location offers great potential for a new residential district and an integrated community. Leading architects Simpson Haugh and Partners have been appointed to explore the visions and aspirations, integrate the masterplan guiding principles and improve the riverfront and transport infrastructure.”

 

Rockwell also mention a new park:

“Greenwich (surely Charlton?!) can look forward to a new Barrier Park running from the Thames Barrier to Maryon Wilson Park. Opening up views of the Thames and the barrier, it would be about twice the size of today’s open space.”

Here is a map of the sites they are consulting on:

But is this the right decision? Charlton is one of the few areas where industry is still in reasonable health. Many industrial estates are now half-empty or full of churches (many operating without any planning permission causing issues for remaining businesses) but Charlton continues to provide much valuable employment.

2012 Masterplan

Greenwich Council commissioned a masterplan for the area in 2012. It’s fair to say it’s not the finest work. Very dated concepts abound of pushing retail parks without any residential elements above, which is madness with the current housing shortage and population growth.

Instead of residential located above huge retail boxes and expansive single level car parks, which have expanded since 2012 with Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer, Brocklebank (opening this winter) and the Millenium Retail Park expansion with some of the worst architecture seen this side of a 1990s service station in Slough, the masterplan also encouraged the demolition of much industry for residential.

Pretty much from day one this was seen as a nonsense and 20 years behind the times. Barely four years later and a new masterplan is being drawn up at high cost but the damage has been done. Much land has been grossly under-utilised.

So we wait to see what the second masterplan in just four years can achieve.

Consultation on Rockwell’s plans are being held at the Yacht Club in Greenwich on:

Saturday 24th September 10am – 4pm

Wednesday 28th September 6.30pm – 9pm

Thursday 29th September 4pm – 8pm

Developers U&I (formally Cathedral Group) have also purchased 10 acres of land in the area.

Within a decade it’s feasible that the entire stretch of riverside from Thamesmead to Greenwich will have high density residential lining the Thames. Much is now going up or in planning, from Peabody’s plans for housing at West Thamesmead where the old Arsenal canal is, five towers planned for Woolwich and then schemes further west that have been approved but yet to start such as Mast Quay 2 and of course many now underway around the Peninsula.

Time to dust off those plans for Greenwich Millenium Transit, but a tram this time and not a diverted 472 bus?

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