Major Thamesmead development set to begin May 2022
Work on building 333 homes at Gallions View in Thamesmead is set to commence in May.
An application from Fairview Homes has been submitting revealing construction plans during construction which are set to last 42 months.
Proposals will see: “The planned development of 333 units is a mix of 216 private and 117 Shared Ownership / Rented Housing Association (HA) apartments and houses spread over 4 blocks.
The blocks range between 3-13 storeys in height with under croft parking in Blocks A and B, and limited surface parking across the wider development”.
The overall development was approved by Greenwich Council last year. It includes 129 car parking spaces.
At the time Greenwich planners ignored Transport for London advice on creating safer and improved walking links to both Plumstead railway station and Woolwich crossrail station when it came to allocating Section 106 income from Fairview to the council.
They opted to allocate just £40,000 for public realm work, and £330,000 for their Greenwich Local Labour and Business scheme.
This plan states that no construction staff will drive to work. That’s quite a claim given its location.
The plan states it “has good transport links within close proximity” which is stretching it a bit given poor links from Plumstead station and bus routes passing that site, and it’s exactly that problem that was ignored when plans approved.
TfL told them locations that should be invested in for improve links on direct routes to Plumstead and Woolwich stations.
Greenwich in their wisdom entirely ignored the suggestion and allocated a token sum towards a path in the complete opposite direction.
It also states that Erith Hospital has an A&E in a section on healthcare. It doesn’t I believe. The nearest A&E is at Woolwich Queen Elizabeth hospital with a greater degree of facilities.
Yet more money to GLLaB being taken away from other projects to improve public realm and improve safety walkways for people walking to reach Plumstead Station. Woolwich Crossrail Station and Woolwich Town Centre. Greenwich Council pledged to encourage people to walk cycle and use public transport more to reduce car usage in the Borough.
This will not happen until we say major improvements to public realm, better safer paths, cycle lanes and improvements to Public transport including local bus services.
Sadly GLLaB clearly has been a major loss making machine for Greenwich Council for several years now needing regular bail outs throughout the financial year taking hundreds of thousands of pounds away from other projects around the Borough.
The Services provided by GLLaB could easily be provided by other local training providers in the Borough with GLLaB staff transferred to them to provide some of the service hey currently undertake.
We need to see more improvements to public transport and public realm along with improved road crossings so it is much safer for people to walk and cycle. While encouraging more use of public transport. If we are serious about reducing air pollution.