Bexley Council plan land purchase for major Erith redevelopment
Bexley Council are due to make a decision on purchasing an Erith town centre building for the purposes of a larger town centre development project.
Despite severe financial difficulties, the council are able to purchase via an interest free loan from London Economic Action Partnership. Providing the project moves quickly – and its a big if – the move should enable financial returns to aid the authority. The loan would need repayment by 2026.
Details of the exact building are exempt from a council document but there’s a few clues:
“This report considers an opportunity for the Council to acquire the freehold interest in a property in Erith town centre which abuts an existing Council asset and which offers land assembly opportunities”.
This acquisition would support the Council’s aspirations for the regeneration of Erith Town Centre. It would provide an opportunity for new, quality, mixed tenure
development and assist in ensuring the retention of one of the few remaining buildings with history within the town centre whilst, at the same time, enabling the
comprehensive development of several Council’s sites.”
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The Post Office perhaps? It’s one of the few remaining buildings before a 1960s comprehensive redevelopment and sites next to a large swath of public land and an estate.
Or perhaps the Running Horses pub?
Bexley Council have long had plans for this island of land. The below image comes from a town centre masterplan.
While some years old now, it did show existing towers retained and renovated with lower density housing around the site.
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Could be the old library on Walnut Tree Road, next to the Town Hall. It’s been left abandoned for some time, with hoardings around it. There’s a small wooded area next to it which I believe is not publicly accessible, this could be reclaimed as a public space. And there’s also a plot just over the road, next to the college, which might form part of a new development.
The library is not abandoned, it is being renovated, and being restored. Currently has a cafe and has event for the local community
I reckon it is Bank Chambers at 70 Pier road it is locally listed and is Victorian. The post office isn’t locally listed and the Running horses was only built in 1938, so they don’t fit with what is said in the documentation .
Plus there is some interesting reading on the subject from a council document from 2019. https://www.eriththinktank.com/meetings/open-house-70-pier-rd-old-bank and more here https://www.greatererith.com/get-involved/70-pier-road/have-your-say-event-and-information/
Electricity house? 1930s. Across road from council tax building and next to the car park which I presume they own too?
Old Library, land next to college and 70 pier road are all already owned by Bexley Council, so I don’t think those suggestions can be right. The two suggestions by Murky could well be correct.
MJ neither the Running Horses or the Post office are Victorian or locally listed. The councils document says the property is both those things.
Also the council also own the freehold to Post Office already.
It was locally listed this year (https://www.bexley.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2020-10/Locally-Listed-Buildings-and-Structures-2020-additions.pdf), but agree I don’t think it is Victorian and if it’s already owned then can’t be right.
Hmmm mystery continues……
Erith post office wasn’t built until 1930. The borough property asset map shows that the council owns the freehold.
There are only two other properties that fit the criteria of locally listed and Victorian whilst being adjacent to an existing council owned property in the town centre and they are the Cross Keys and the White Hart (stretching it a little as it wasn’t built until 1902 but the council probably don’t know the difference).
For those that haven’t seen Bexley borough’s Property Asset Map it can be viewed here. https://www.bexley.gov.uk/services/business-bexley/property-assets/property-asset-map all local authorities should have something similar.
I think all the tower blocks should go