61 student rooms behind former east Greenwich library set to be approved
Greenwich Council’s Planning Board look set to approve 61 student rooms in a new block behind the former east Greenwich library.
It should be noted this is not in the sadly run down library itself. More than £400,000 in Section 106 funds will be provided to Greenwich Council for off-site affordable housing.
According to planning documents Community Infrastructure Levy income will also bring in £140,000 to the authority.
Despite being in an area with some of the very worst public realm in the entire borough no money is allocated to improving approaches to the Angerstein roundabout. Improving the area would have possibly yielded more income for the council who are in the process of selling the library.
But alas very little has been carried out. Yes, many other schemes in the area are supposed to be forthcoming which will help improve the area – though absolutely no details are in the public domain and no information ever seems forthcoming.
It’s also concerning that the report appears to get numbers wrong on how much Community Infrastructure Levy is liable. The report states £70 per square metre. For student housing it should be £65 according to the authorities own figures.
This is the report before the Planning Board:
Yet here is Greenwich borough’s Community Infrastructure Levy charging schedule:
At this point it’s very clear they have little interest in improving the roundabout and expect TfL to do it all for them – and that goes for almost the entire area.
If you are selling your house you at least mow the lawn and do some painting before visitors come to buy. This council are too lazy to do that in front of the area where they are selling a building. Any improvement work would pay for itself in a higher sale price. And then I get a letter about council tax and how they are so skint…
They could at least try to get their own house in order.
Regarding the mistake and discrepancy with fees levied I hope it’s a simple mistake and not actually what they are charging and then being liable for legal action down the line losing more public money…