TfL team up to build tower blocks above Woolwich Crossrail station
Transport for London have today announced a partnership with Grainger to build 3,000 homes across London at eight sites including Armourers Court in Woolwich above the eastern end of the station.
Plans for towers at Armourers Court and 400 homes were approved back in 2014 when a 2018 start date was announced – which has clearly been missed perhaps due to Crossrail’s delay.
The Royal Arsenal site will look pretty odd with towers squeezed into certain sites then industrial sheds directly next door in locations just a short distance from a major new station.
It would make sense to progressively move warehouse units to a new industrial park being built in Thamesmead or include units within new mixed-use developments – which would also bring many more people within a short distance of Woolwich Crossrail station and assist with the housing shortage. Yet Greenwich Council’s strategy for Woolwich doesn’t intend to do this at all.
It appears a similar mistake to what happened in Charlton when they promoted retail barns in 2012 and then did a full 180 degree turn just a few years later. That meant two masterplans having to be drawn up at high cost.
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There is still also absolutely no movement on building at TfL sites around Woolwich DLR station almost 10 years after an agreement was signed with Oakmayne. TfL’s page on it is still online and can be seen here.
The announcement today mentions drawing up plans yet Armourers Court has already secured approval and should be shovel ready. Whether it will have any more success than the DLR site remains to be seen.
The agreement with Grainger is 49:51 in favour of Grainger so they will call the shots. TfL state 40% of homes will be “affordable”.
The full list of site are:
- Limmo Peninsula, Canning Town, Newham – 1,500 homes
- Southall Sidings, Ealing – up to 400 homes
- Nine Elms Tube station, Lambeth – up to 400 homes
- Armourers Court, Woolwich – up to 400 homes
- Hounslow West Tube station, Hounslow – up to 350 homes
- Cockfosters Tube station, Enfield – up to 300 homes
- Arnos Grove Tube station, Enfield – up to 100 homes
- Montford Place, Kennington, Lambeth – up to 100 homes
I do agree that the warehouse and commercial units on the Woolwich Arsenal site would be better located to a new purposely built Industrial area where all the correct facilities can be provided including parking. However I do agree that mixed housing/retail developments do seem to work well.
I am guessing the delay to the introduction of the new Elizabeth Line has delayed building starting above Crossrail Stations earmarked for development. As we still have no confirmed date when the line will fully open.