Greenwich attempt to hide Woolwich eyesores with Heritage Zone cash
Now this is amusing.
Greenwich Council have used Heritage Zone money in a not entirely successful attempt to hide eyesores in Woolwich town centre around the DLR station.
I suppose given the land has sat empty for so many years now they could well now be considered part of the town’s heritage.
If you don’t know the history of these sites then boy is it a fine example of all that’s wrong with housing and development.
When the Woolwich Arsenal DLR extension was nearing completion 16 years ago Transport for London entered an agreement with private developer Oakmayne to build over and around the station box. There’s a number of sites, with one early idea seen below.
The station duly opened – and nothing ever happened in terms of a planning application. Nothing ever has.
Ideal development site
Prime site? You bet. Seconds from shops, employment, DLR, Thameslink, Southeastern and Elizabeth line services.
Yet no housing built. No hotel as mooted. No employment provided. No shops to entice footfall. No residents to provide custom to existing shops.
Eventually after 14 years of silence the plots appeared on TfL’s Places for London development plans.
Given the housing crises and these plots occupy prime publicly owned land both above and around a station what did it say? An imminent build? Consultation soon on public-transport oriented development?
Absolutely not. No start on site until 2029/30. Sigh. More than 20 years after the DLR station opened and land ready to go.
In the meantime various plots continue to present an eyesore with piles of rubbish, hence this weeks amusing attempt to hide. Which doesn’t work.
I’m sure the murals and signs are lovely but come on, this is brilliant trolling to use Heritage Zone funds on such spots.
The icing on a shit show that’s been going on way too long.
