Author: Matt

Council backs amended plans for Charlton riverside

Matt7 Comments

On Monday night Greenwich Council’s cabinet agreed to adopt the masterplan for Charlton riverside.

This follows a four week period of consultation and a new document being drafted after responses from the public.

The main differences to this new version are the following:

1) The designated area now encompasses Charlton station.

2) A firmer commitment to downgrade Woolwich Road.

3) A mention of a green bridge as one option for a crossing at the eastern section of Woolwich Road.

4)  A nod towards enhancing Charlton railway station and improving its connections with other modes of transport.

5) The idea for a marina has changed to “leisure activities on the waterfront” due to concerns from the Port of London Authority that it would interfere with other river uses.

6) There’s a sentence added that calls for a limiting of retail uses in Charlton “to support the aspirations of Woolwich becoming a metropolitan centre”, which possibly came after pressure from investment vehicle Powis Street Estates who own buildings in the heart of the town. A council officer at the meeting stated that any new planning applications for the retail park would have to fulfill impact assessments so as not to take trade away from Woolwich.

Residents also addressed the cabinet at the meeting. Some representing local groups such as CRAG, the Charlton Society and the Westcombe Society. Each underlined the main themes from their formal responses. There were calls for Charlton to be seen as a whole and for residents and businesses to be involved as much as possible. The traversing of Woolwich Road was highlighted as key as well as improving our streetscapes.

Charlton Champion reader Ashleigh Marsh also raised the point that blogs (like this one) should form part of the consultation process, or at least noted.

Before the meeting a crowd had gathered outside Woolwich Town Hall protesting at the potential loss of businesses and the poor consultation. On further investigation it’s believed that this lobby group were actually the Christ Faith Tabernacle Church. They’ve recently been in the news with their battle to take over the former Gala Bingo building in Woolwich – something Woolwich’s masterplan conflicts directly with. Why they weren’t more up front with their intentions is beyond me, but it might have something to do with council statistics showing only 10% of these objectors live within the borough.

It’s probably best not to get too carried away and come back to what a supplementary planning document actually is. My own knowledge tells me that it will complement the overall plan for the borough. It will add to a “core strategy” and will be taken into consideration in future planning applications.

This point was reiterated by councillors and officers on Monday night. Council leader Chris Roberts added:

“Changes won’t necessarily happen overnight, next week or next year. This is a think-through as to what might happen when traditional industry moves on.”

I’m guessing the next step will be to confirm the actual core strategy.

Keep your eyes peeled for another consultation period.

Full house scrutinises plans for Charlton riverside

Matt11 Comments

Eighty-two people crammed into Charlton Liberal Club on Monday night to discuss plans for Charlton riverside. Antony Rifkin from Allies and Morrison Urban Practitioners, who drew up this planning document, fielded question from the public for nearly two hours.

The event was organised by the Charlton Riverside Action Group with the support of the Charlton Society.

We were slightly taken aback with the impressive turnout but this enthusiasm and energy is certainly very positive. It must have shown the developers and the council how much residents care about this area of Charlton.

There were lots of interesting points raised including one from Charlton Champion reader Roy Tindle. Roy is a strong believer that Greenwich should be utilising the river rather than using lorries: “We can do better than the Royal Docks [across the river] and have more industry, even if it’s just more recycling plants.”

Charlton’s resident celebrity, Glenn Tilbrook, was also in attendance. He revealed concerns that his own music studio could be “swept away” as land is re-designated for housing. He said that segmenting different areas isn’t necessarily the best way forward and Charlton riverside should be integrated with small businesses finding a place amongst family homes and green space.

There were calls to consult local workers more and questions asked about the safeguarding of our wharfs and the Angerstein Railway Line. Many had the opinion that a new residential area should not be similar to the Woolwich Arsenal or Greenwich Millenium Village developments.

People were sceptical about this master-plan. There were concerns about its worth and how vague and badly researched it looked. However, there seemed to be universal agreement that Charlton riverside needs redevelopment and that having a strategy for the area will ensure changes will not be piecemeal and will not happen by accident.

The next step is yours. The consultation officially ends on Friday 9th March at 9.00am, however, Mike Howes at Greenwich Council mentioned that they would be taking responses up until next Tuesday. There’s no need to fill out a form online you can simply email your thoughts directly to masterplans@greenwich.gov.uk.

The combined response from CRAG and the Charlton Society can be found here but we really need as many people as possible to send in their views. Don’t feel obliged to write as much as we have!

Thanks very much for coming and we hope to see you at future meetings.

Help shape the future of your local community‏

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It’s short notice due to the approaching deadline of the consultation period, but the Charlton Riverside Action Group are meeting to discuss the newly produced master-plan for the area.

Antony Rifkin, Director of Allies and Morrison Urban Practitioners, who produced this document has kindly said he will come along.

Once again we hope our local councillors and our MP will be in attendance. As well as local stakeholders and members of neighbouring resident’s groups.

However, most importantly we need you and your views.

Hope you can make it.

Welcome to the backstreets of Charlton

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“One of the key proposals in this planning document is the downgrading of Woolwich Road.”

Antony Rifkin, Director at Allies and Morrison Urban Practitioners

On Monday evening residents gathered in the Valley’s boardroom to view the presentation of the Charlton Riverside master-plan. Speaking at the exhibition were Allied and Morrison Urban Practitioners who’ve recently been working on plans for Southend, Lewisham, Bexleyheath and the Olympic legacy programme.

There wasn’t much for them to add that wasn’t already in the document but points were raised with questions from the public.

Discussions included ensuring Charlton riverside complemented the rest of Charlton. Better access to the river was touted and a green bridge that would link Maryon Park with Barrier Park. Concerns were raised that the arts scene that has shown signs of life in the area wouldn’t survive as rents increased. There was also a hint of embarrassment when one resident pointed out that the views of All Saints’ Church in Blackheath (proudly highlighted in the document) was actually St. John the Evangelist.

What the presentation did highlight which wasn’t apparent in the master-plan is that they’re hoping that the western part of Woolwich Road (from the Antigallican onwards) can be downgraded from and its A-road status.

This seems to be key to unlocking the barrier of Woolwich Road and join a more penetrable retail park onto the rest of Charlton.

The road looks set to have more crossings, better furnishings, broader pavements and more pleasant surroundings. Which will surely mean alterations to Charlton’s major traffic intersection and the re-routing of traffic along Bugsby’s Way.

The consultation period is set to end on the 9th of March and there’s one more exhibition at Woolwich Library on Saturday 3 March (10am-2pm).

Wasteland targeted for new community garden

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A piece of Charlton scrubland currently used for dumping litter could be turned into a community garden. Charlton resident, Judy Wolfram, has set her sights on the land behind Our Lady of Grace School and opposite Highcombe allotments.

Anyone interested in hearing more about the proposal should go to the open meeting on Monday 6th February at St Richard’s Hall in Swallowfield Road at 7.30pm.

The land was once the playing field for the old St Austin’s school, which became Christ the King sixth form college, before it moved to Lewisham in the early 1990s. The school site was sold for housing, but the old playing field is owned by the Catholic Diocesan Board for Education and has stood empty for nearly 20 years.

Judy hopes that an interim committee can be established at this meeting that can begin the task of obtaining the land.

People will also be welcome to share their visions for the space and discuss what features the garden should have. They’ll be looking at what start-up costs are needed and the level of security required.

There’s also the option of involving local schools and groups. At least one primary school in the area has already shown an interest in integrating the garden into their curriculum.

So, if you can give up a little time or just excited at the prospect of a community garden – pop along.

Second open day for the Charlton Reminiscence Project

Matt

You’ll be pleased to hear the lottery-funded Charlton Reminiscence Project is in full swing. After a successful first open day back in October it’s now time for a second event.

Charlton House will once again open its doors for people to come a share a story about one of Charlton’s parks. This time they are inviting school children to take part so the event will take place on the weekdays of the 1st and 2nd of February. You can browse through maps and old photos that have already been collected but they’re always on the look out for more. Lots of information and interviews have already been recorded, including one from the day that Maryon Park opened in 1909.

There’s more exciting news, the website for this project is due to go live at the start of February – so watch this space….

Would you change Charlton’s biggest traffic intersection?

Matt12 Comments

Allow me a moment to run something past you. Above is the Woolwich Road/ Bugsby’s Way/ Charlton Church Lane interchange, I’m sure you’re familiar with it. If you were TfL and you had an opportunity to redevelop these crossroads, what would you do?

Would you try to funnel more traffic into Bugsby’s Way? Would you restrict more traffic from entering the narrow Charlton Church Lane? Would you make it more pedestrian friendly? Would you give more access for bicycles? Would a new set of traffic lights in Woolwich Road demand a rethink of this junction? Would you keep it like it is?