Lewisham shopping centre redevelopment plans submitted

Plans have been submitted for the demolition and rebuild of Lewisham shopping centre.

The application follows a various rounds of consultation and evolving plans over recent years from developer Landsec U+I.

In total 1,700 new homes are included alongside a further 660 student rooms and 445 co-living spaces (individual bedrooms with shared kitchens and living areas).

A new shopping centre will be built in the middle of the site with green space above with “a strategy to keep the shopping centre open in some capacity throughout the build.”

In recent weeks plans were lodged to demolish the former Argos for a music and food area in the south west corner of the site.

It’s a vast application comprising an overall masterplan alongside detailed proposals for the first blocks on site. Three Design and Access Statements alone run to hundreds of pages.

Landsec plan to demolish areas to the north of the town centre in initial phases aside from the music and food venue.

Note the location of Paddy Power above, and compare with this render below from the application. The building containing Nat West is gone, as is Boots next door. Lewisham Clocktower is on the left.

The below image is also taken from the application’s Design and Access Statement showing a view to the south from near Lewisham station.

To get your bearings, Lewisham police station is on the left.

Renovation

The former Citibank building will be retained and extended following a number of residential conversion plans over the past decade that never went anywhere.

Many High Street buildings will also be retained though the existing car park will be demolished.

Earlier proposals to demolish Wetherspoons to the south have been dropped.

One core aspect of the scheme has been to add through-routes across the site increasing permeability from the High Street, Molesworth Street and Lewisham DLR and Southeastern stations.

The tallest block across the site would reach 35-floors joining a number of other towers recently built in Lewisham.

That includes a block beside Lewisham station on a former part of Tesco’s car park.

In recent years a student tower has also been constructed while Lewisham Gateway Phase 2 is now complete.

History

The shopping centre opened in 1977 and is very much of its time with no housing on site.

A substantial multi-storey car park sits on one side which is well worth a visit. It’s a fascinating time-capsule with signage from each decade since opening.

Shops are serviced via the roof.

Those of us who’ve been around for a while will remember the old clock in the centre alongside the hippo bins and children’s play area. Near the old C&A if I recall correctly?

As a child Lewisham was always a favourite due to those so I didn’t nag the parents too much if that was the shopping destination. Bexleyheath was generally second favourite (another cracking interior before it went all bland with a revamp though without the excellent play area) and Woolwich sadly last.

Anyway, the character in Lewisham was all stripped a way years back – though it’s still things worth seeing aside from shops including two pieces of the Berlin Wall.

Affordable housing

Just six per cent of homes would be social units which is likely to arouse controversy. Lewisham Council have recently declared a number of imminent cuts due to a lack of social and council homes.

In the past year costs have risen 30 per cent to £85 million and is a major factor in a £36 million overspend. Homeless households now total 3,000.

A further 14 per cent will be “affordable”. Plans will go before Lewisham Council’s Planning Committee next year.

The application can be viewed here.