Lewisham tower sees yet another conversion plan
Lewisham’s Citibank tower has yet another plan for residential conversion following a number of previous dropped schemes.
The block has been empty for many years since Citibank departure with the exterior getting progressively worse.
This time it’s for 319 co-living units. A look back shows that this site covered a plan more than a decade ago in January 2015 for conversion to residential and 290 flats. At the time the owner stated they would start on site in March and finish by April 2016.
Fast forward to 2017 and by then the third plan had arrived. Now it was to see “57 studio apartments, 146 one bedroom apartments and 34 two bedroom apartments”.
Again, nothing happened.
An image from back then showed Lewisham Retail Park plans. Eight years on and nothing has happened there despite planning approval given some years ago with more consultation recently undertaken.
Yet another conversion plan now possible it raises a conflict with plans to demolish and redevelop Lewisham shopping centre. An application for that site shows the tower reworked into the project.
The latest application for co-living units is from “Lewisham House No.1 Limited“. They do not appear connected to Landsec who own the shopping centre.
If so and Landsec aren’t the owners, it remains to be seen whether it actually is converted or purchased by LandSec as part of wider plans. A Compulsory Purchase Order is also a possibility in that instance.
A shame a prime site like The old Citibank building in Lewisham Town Centre has been left empty for so many years.
Hopefully a new developer will develope the building soon. Would also be a good site for conversion in to new homes for Social housing tenants on Lewisham’s housing waiting list.
All these strange looking buildings being built everywhere.