Woolwich park within Royal Arsenal to close next month
A park in Woolwich is set to see to be closed for years from next month.
Maribor Park is located beside Beresford Street and named after a Slovenian town twinned with Greenwich.
When created the intention was that the park’s current layout would always be temporary and outline planning for buildings on site has long been approved.
However it appears a fair few locals were unaware – and more may well be surprised come Monday 2 September when the fences go up.
Closure is to enable 660 new homes to be built at what Berkeley Homes have named Ropeyards.
One block will line Beresford Street (Plot K) while others sit to the north (Plot D) across from a green strip.
This will eventually lead from an area near the Royal Arsenal Gatehouse to the Thames, where a water feature already exists.
Revised plans for the area saw one building moved from the southern end opening up further public space.
Plot K of development will sit across from Riverside House where a hotel and student accommodation plans were recently revealed.
Other sites nearby underway include student housing at the former Catholic Club.
Berkeley Homes state construction of Ropeyards will last until 2029.
Thanks to @MyWoolwich for the heads-up on this.
You seem surprised that “a fair few of local residents are unaware” of the imminent destruction of Maribor Park. The facts are
(1) Many of us were living here in 2013 when this part of the original, outline planning application was apparently approved, but we were never consulted
(2) At the end of last year Berkeley Home (BH) only pretended to consult residents, with a misleading exhibition and then an online meeting at which residents were not even allowed to speak
(3) BH’s own “Ropeyards” website says that the work will start in January 2026 and “subject to planning permission”. See https://ropeyardsconsultation.co.uk/consultation/
(4) There was a planning application – 24/0848/R – earlier this year but our objections have not been considered. The Council (RBG) said it would come to a meeting of the Planning Board in October or November, but what’s the point if the destruction has already taken place?
Yet again BH and RBG ride rough-shod over the people who live here, while still demanding that lease-holders pay through the nose for services, many of which we have already paid for through the Council Tax.
One of the biggest lies any council, corporation or employer can ever announce is a “Period of consultation”, which actually just means “We’ve already made up our minds, you can have a few minutes to respond but we’ll be working hell for leather to change public perception and throw stories about to local media to ensure we get an easy ride on our pre decided outcome”.
I could not agree with you mote Dr Michael Doe. Well said.
Some sound quite unhappy about plans that were in place a long time ago. I’m not sure what some people expected after the opening of the Elizabeth Line station in Woolwich. It seems that green space will remain, which makes me wonder what all the fuss is about. If not enough, there are always other areas people can move to if they don’t like living in that part of Woolwich.