Thames river wall collapse in Woolwich requires emergency repairs

Plans have been submitted for emergency repairs on the Thames river wall in Woolwich at the site of a long delayed development.

While plans are only now appearing online, the wall actually collapsed some months ago. The application states: “there is a clear and present danger to life as members of the public frequently forage along this area of the Thames”.

It continues: “The condition of the existing river wall has been deteriorating rapidly over the course of the past 2 years since Opecprime commenced monitoring of the wall. Significant damage was caused to the wall during Storm Ciara in February 2020 with a critical collapse of the wall on to the foreshore”.

The site of the collapse is earmarked for Mast Quay phase two. Phase one was built in the late 2000s before financial problems hit phase two.

The block will include 204 flats in a tower reaching 22 floors in height. It was approved back in 2012 and a Section 106 agreement made in 2018. That showed the applicant as the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation created after the financial crises. Despite that, this application is from the original site developer Comer Homes.

This application states:

“The existing river wall has suffered significant damage as result of a number of extreme weather events, with facing brickwork having collapsed and now being located on the foreshore.”

This isn’t the only long-vacant site in the area. Just west is the former angling club site.

That site named Henry’s Dock has lay empty for many years after approval – and in recent months many dead fish have begun appearing.

One question to be asked about both sites is who is monitoring plots? Mast Quay phase two was approved eight years ago yet was only monitored since 2018.

At Henry’s Dock nothing has progressed since the start of the last decade.

Click here to view plans for the Woolwich wall repairs.