The two schemes would bring 255 new homes to what is currently industrial land
A planning inspector has approved two new housing developments on the Charlton Riverside, including 107 homes for people on housing waiting lists, overturning Greenwich Council decision to refuse the schemes last year.
The twin schemes, for land behind the disused Victoria pub on Woolwich Road, are the second and third housing developments to get approval on the riverside after plans for 1,200 homes close to the Thames Barrier were approved in March.
A lobby group representing residents’ associations, Charlton Together, had objected to the Aitch scheme, but both were thrown out by Greenwich’s Labour-dominated planning committee last July for not fitting in with the masterplan drawn up for the Charlton Riverside.
Optivo’s plans for Eastmoor Street, with the Aitch scheme in white next door to it.
In that area, the masterplan suggests building three or four-storey townhouses to fit in with the Victoria and the former Lads of the Village pub – now a vets’ surgery – near by. Optivo is planning blocks of up to seven storeys, while the Aitch scheme goes up to 10 storeys.
But the planning inspector, Patrick Hanna, said that townhouses did not fit in with plans to build up to 7,000 homes on the riverside – or guidance from the Environment Agency that the lower floors could not be occupied in case of flooding.
“The townhouse typology is unlikely to be a realistic or optimal option at the appeal site, which in turn affects the ambitions for an intimate village feel in this location,” he wrote.
“As a consequence of these site constraints, it follows that when the [masterplan] is taken as a whole, and bearing in mind that it represents guidance only, its general thrust can reasonably and sensibly be taken to encourage medium rise developments.”
Having commercial units on the lower floors would be more attractive than townhouses with ground-floor garages, Hanna added.
Optivo’s site as it is now with the Aitch site to the right
Hanna also said that the council should have approved the schemes because the borough did not have a big enough supply of new housing coming up.
Despite the clear flaws in the masterplan, Labour councillors Gary Dillon and Jo van den Broek – elected last week for the new Charlton Village & Riverside ward – put it centre stage in a leaflet delivered to residents.
In a passage that may only have made sense to those involved in residents’ groups that have fought for lower-rise buildings on the riverside, they promised to “ensure that the communities’ voices are heard and that the spirit of the masterplan is respected”.
However, the inspector’s decision – and his explicit acknowledgement that aspects of the plan are flawed because they do not take into account flood risks – may now give future developers the confidence to aim higher when they submit their plans.
It’s a big day at Charlton House today as its first big exhibition in over two years opens up, with lots going on all month. Here’s why you might like to take a look…
Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust’s museum and archive pop-up programme Meet the Collection begins its extended final stop at Charlton House today. The month-long event marks the trust’s first in-person exhibition and Charlton House’s longest re-opening since before March 2020.
The Living in Greenwich: Meet the Collection exhibition includes new art installations from artists-in-residence Fiona Veacock and CraftA, who worked with local community groups Mycenae House ReachOut, Listening Ears, Community Direction, and Eltham Crotchet N’ Natter to create table setting of pottery and seven textile banners. Each piece of art is inspired by Greenwich Heritage’s museum collections and archive, as well as the participants’ understanding of home.
In keeping with the theme, the trust has prepared an accompanying museum display inspired by food and home. The exhibit includes a variety of pieces and documents ranging from those preserved from Charlton House over time to Roman dishes discovered in the Greenwich Park archaeological excavation. Attendees will also be able to hear stories from Greenwich Heritage’s audio archive, as Greenwich’s locals describe the tangible and intangible things that mean home to them, in their own voices and words.
The exhibition will also mark the debut of five brand new costumed tours of the House, designed for families by historical actor and educator Hilary Wood, available for booking at a cost of £5 per person (free for those 5 and under). The line-up for these hour-long Sunday tours is as follows:
Today: Jacobean
8th May: East India Company and Charlton House
15th May: Victorian
22nd May: World War I
29th May: World War II
As well as Sundays from 11am to 4pm, the Trust will open the exhibition Wednesday to Fridays from 9:30am to 3:30pm, including craft sessions with our artists-in-residence. For a small fee, attendees will be invited to take part in a community textile (Thursday 5th and Friday 6th May) and make their own pottery work to be professionally fired (Sunday 15th May).
The trust is still operating cautiously, with the health and safety of their team and visitors in mind. Visitors can expect smaller-than-usual capacities for events, open windows to allow for the free flow of fresh air, and hand sanitiser available on site. They recommend that those visiting indoors wear a face covering where possible.
Meet the Collection is generously supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Tanner Trust, and the Garfield Weston Foundation.
The Addicks’ last home match of an underwhelming season ended in a win. KEVIN NOLAN kept an eye on the desperate battle to finish 12th in League One.
It’s been obvious for some time that Charlton have not been remotely good enough to sustain a challenge for promotion from League One. On their day they were capable of giving most teams in the division a decent game; unfortunately that “day” became all too rare as the pressure mounted. You could say they came up a day late and a dollar short when it mattered.
At the same time, there’s been only a fleeting fear of relegation and it can be safely stated that the Addicks proved they don’t belong in that unseemly struggle to avoid demotion to League Two. They are, in fact, destined to finish where they belong – squarely among the mid-table nonentities, if less grateful than the clubs around them to be considered also-rans. Charlton could’ve – should’ve – been the contenders Nigel Adkins promised they’d be last summer.
An impressive return of 16 points from the eight league games which preceded the visit of Shrewsbury Town had fans studying the table and wistfully indulging “what might have been” daydreams. In the middle of that run, inexplicable home defeats to Lincoln City (1-2) and Morecambe (2-3) brought them down to earth. And those two results drove home, with sobering impact, the chronic inconsistency which undid them.
Still we are where we are and it is what it is. There remain 12th and 13th positions to sort out and the race between Charlton, Cambridge United, Cheltenham Town and Accrington Stanley, easily dismissed as a losers’ repechage, was hotter than a pistol on Saturday. Fair enough, nobody else gave a flying farquhar but on this parochial level, it mattered a great deal.
In midweek, the Addicks had done their hopes no harm by leapfrogging Cambridge after beating them 2-0 at their place. They started Saturday two points ahead of United, who faced a daunting and ultimately fruitless trip to Sunderland (1-5). That removed Cambridge from the equation which switched attention to Cheltenham, beaten at home by Bolton Wanderers, and Accrington, home winners over Lincoln City. Both trailed Charlton by one point so only Stanley can catch Johnnie Jackson’s men now. The tension’s ratcheting up and some of us can hardly wait till next Saturday. There’s everything – well, not everything but definitely something – left to play for this season. You just have to know where to look.
The importance of Shrewsbury’s visit, to be brutally frank, seemed to have escaped Charlton’s attention in a dreadful first half at a less than impressed Valley. Dealt a pre-kick-off blow when dynamic Corey Blackett-Taylor was taken ill during warm-up, they were compensated by a lively contribution by Diallang Jaiyesimi, who stepped in and answered Jackson’s call admirably. It was Jaiyesimi, whose fierce drive after cutting in from the left, was capably saved at his near post by Marko Marosi in the 3rd minute.
In reply, Tyrese Fornal half-volleyed narrowly wide but the Addicks edged what were admittedly tepid exchanges. They looked likelier to score but Conor Washington shot too close to Marosi when sent clear by Jayden Stockley’s flick and Alex Gilbey tamely headed Albie Morgan’s inswinging corner straight at the Slovakian keeper. The interval arrived as a relief to our suffering.
Two minutes into the second period, breathtaking brilliance by Craig McGillivray denied Town a surprise lead. Put through by Luke Leahy’s pass, Ryan Bowman shot hard and low for the bottom right corner. His shot was instinctively parried by McGillivray, who regained his feet in time to block Joshua Daniels’ point blank attempt to convert the rebound. This was the keeper’s 16th clean sheet of an ever-present league season.
Morgan’s beautifully-judged ball over the top promptly sent Washington through again to confront Marosi but the big Slovak came out on top once more and saved the Northern Irishman’s angled effort. Something more precise was clearly necessary to beat him and Stockley duly delivered by meeting Morgan’s corner and heading unstoppably into the roof of the net.
💬 "I'm really pleased that we managed to send the supporters home happy…"
Johnnie Jackson speaks to CharltonTV following today's victory over @shrewsweb…
Scorer of the added-time goal which beat the Addicks 1-0 in frigid Shropshire last November, Daniel Udoh took matters in his own hands as the Shrews sought an instant equaliser. A mazy solo run carried him past a pursuing posse of home defenders but his entry for goal-of-the-season was foiled by McGillivray’s full-length save.
The 75th minute replacement of Gilbey by Chuks Aneke was the straw that broke Shrewsbury’s back. Aneke’s incredible scoring record as a late substitute is an article of faith around SE7 and almost inevitably he delivered again. Before he did so, he missed a sitter when feebly heading Jaiyesimi’s carefully dinked cross from the left into Marosi’s hands. His confidence remained intact and he made no mistake in powering Morgan’s precise free kick past the helpless keeper to seal the points with four regulation minutes left on the clock.
Their ninth 2-0 win of a generally dismal season at least puts the Addicks in the catbird seat as the battle for 12th place in League One climaxes next weekend. This season ain’t over – not while finishing above Accrington Stanley is at stake. Let’s hope Wimbledon can do us a favour and beat Stanley – unless they’ve still got the needle for letting them down against Morecambe recently.
It’s all about pressure in the middle of the table. Remember what they say: there ain’t no disgrace in thirteenth place!
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Candidates have been announced for next month’s Greenwich Council elections – as well as hustings so you can ask questions of the hopefuls.
This time, Greenwich will elect 55 councillors across 23 wards – a big change from the last election when there were 51 seats across 17 wards. The increase is to reflect the borough’s growing population – particularly in Greenwich, Woolwich and Thamesmead.
Previously, Charlton was split into four wards, with most of the SE7 area being in a simple “Charlton” ward.
Left: Charlton Hornfair. Right: Charlton Village
Now you can bin your old map, because the bulk of the area will be split into two – Charlton Village & Riverside and Charlton Hornfair. A chunk in the north-west is in a new Greenwich Peninsula ward, while a few streets close to the SE18 border are marooned in a Woolwich Dockyard ward.
Broadly speaking, the boundary between the Charlton Village and Charlton Hornfair wards runs along Victoria Way and the south fence of Charlton Park.
This is, essentially, the old Charlton ward, but future-proofed to take in where the new riverside developments will be. Only two councillors will be elected from here.
Incumbent Charlton councillor Gary Dillon stands for Labour alongside Jo van den Broek – a new name to most voters but a longstanding activist behind the scenes in the Labour party. At least she’ll know what she’s letting herself in for.
The Greens came second in the old ward last time out, and they will be standing two candidates who also have some experience of how the council works. Clare Loops used to be one of its planning officers – she now works for Bexley – and is the chair of the Charlton Neighbourhood Forum. Phil Connolly is a party stalwart and is involved with the Derrick and Atlas Gardens Residents’ Association; more recently he has also been working with the council on its response to the pandemic in the Charlton area.
The Conservatives are fielding newcomer Lucy Woodruffe and James Worron, a local party activist, while Stuart Watkin carries the Liberal Democrats’ hopes. The Women’s Equality Party, which came third in 2018, is not fielding a candidate this time around.
Want to quiz the candidates? There are hustings at Charlton House at Wednesday April 20th at 7pm, held by the Charlton Society and Charlton Central Residents’ Association, which covers a small part of the ward near the station. Contact charltonsocietychair[at]gmail.com to ask a question.
Charlton Hornfair takes in areas towards Bramshot Avenue
This brand new ward includes the SE7 bit of the Kidbrooke with Hornfair ward and what estate agents call the Charlton Slopes, together with the Cherry Orchard and Harold Gibbons Court estates and The Birches. A little chunk of SE3 slips in here, too, up to the Sun-in-the-Sands roundabout. Two candidates are elected here.
Labour stands Clare Burke-McDonald, a relatively new councillor who was elected to represent Shooters Hill last year. She is joined on the ballot paper by a newcomer, Lakshan Saldin.
The Greens are standing Cole Pemberton and Ann Brown, while Rupert Fienes and Alan O’Kelly represent the Tories. Sam Burridge is the sole Lib Dem representative.
Want to quiz the candidates? There are hustings at Charlton House (sssh, just outside the ward, but we won’t tell anyone) on Saturday April 23rd at 10.30am, organised by the Charlton Society. Contact charltonsocietychair[at]gmail.com to ask a question.
The colourful Rathmore Road Youth Club benches are in Greenwich Peninsula ward
If you were in Peninsula ward last time, you’ll be in Greenwich Peninsula this time, except if you’re in Barney Close, in which case you’ll be in Charlton Village (see above). If you’ve just moved into the new homes on Bowen Drive (welcome!), this is your ward. This new ward is all the new developments on Greenwich Peninsula, then Ikea and the flyover, then the east Greenwich communities around Aldeburgh Streets and Fearon Street, and then a chunk of Charlton up to the station. (Don’t ask.) Three candidates are elected here.
Labour stands incumbent Peninsula councillor and deputy council leader Denise Scott-McDonald here, along with veteran councillor David Gardner, moving down from Woolwich Common ward but a longstanding activist in the Charlton area. Newcomer Nick Williams makes up the trio.
The Greens have traditionally performed strongly in the old Peninsula ward, and Roger Bailey, John Holmes and Laura Sessions will be standing for them. The Tories are fielding Godwin Amaefula, James Cowling and Anthonia Ugo.
There are three Lib Dems here – youthful activist Ulysse Abbate, Richard Chamberlain (no relation to the author) and Greg Mulligan. The right-wing Reform UK party is represented by Terry Wheeler.
While most of the SE7 bit of the old Woolwich Riverside ward has come home to Charlton Village, a few streets have been left out in the cold around Maryon Road, Erwood Road and Maryon Grove. Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten you.
These are now in Woolwich Dockyard ward, which also includes the estate of the same name, the Cardwell Estate and the 1990s King Henry’s Wharf development by the Thames. This is another-future proofed ward – it will also include the Trinity Park development when that is built on the site of the Morris Walk Estate.
Incumbent Woolwich Riverside Labour councillor Dominic Mbang stays to fight for the new seat alongside newcomer Asli Mohammed. The Greens are not standing here, but the Tories are fielding Simon Gallie and David Chunu. Nichola Martin and Matthew Rose will stand for the Lib Dems.
Want to quiz the candidates? We don’t know of any hustings. If any are organised, we’ll add them here.
The Addicks sank back into mediocrity on Saturday with defeat to Lincoln City – but, as KEVIN NOLAN reminds us, at least relegation is off the cards this season…
Charlton’s recent three-game winning streak, during which they disposed of feeble opposition in Gillingham, Burton Albion and Doncaster Rovers, was nothing much to shout about.
But at least their doggedness was impressive as they belatedly removed the last, lingering threat of relegation from a desperately dreary season, over which a veil should be mercifully drawn.
Given their parlous plight in September and October, when they languished in 21st position, their recovery was timely, but hardly worthy of kudos. Unremarkable in a division of stodgy mediocrity, the Addicks found their level among the also-rans.
Saturday’s visitors Lincoln City contributed to Charlton’s discomfort last autumn by beating them 2-1 at Sincil Bank. They arrived at The Valley trailing their hosts by seven points but significantly nine points clear of fourth-from-bottom Wimbledon – not exactly safe from relegation but on course to salvation. In completing a valuable double over Johnnie Jackson’s co-operative side, they virtually assured themselves of League One football next season.
An impressively loud corps of 1,110 pilgrims from Lincolnshire’s cathedral city made it clear, with their jubilant chorus of “the Imps are staying up”, that survival ranks as an achievement to be celebrated.
Watching the owner’s foolhardy “five-year plan” to reach the Premier League reduced to a hollow joke, meanwhile, the locals were in no mood to join the Imps’ party. The 2021-22 season has been, for them, disappointing and no amount of trans-Atlantic razzmatazz will convince them otherwise. Nor will that tone-deaf ditty he inflicts on them before kick-off.
But back, meanwhile, to the entertainment provided by two teams with little or nothing to play for. With seven games left, it was easy to suppose that an encounter of grim stalemate was on the cards but nothing was further from the truth.
These sub-mid-table opponents set about each other with gusto and even cared enough to have a player each sent off by letter-of-the-law referee Bobby Madley. Neither Charlton’s Alex Gilbey nor Lincoln’s Morgan Whittaker could deny their fate was richly deserved but the latter, at least, departed with the satisfaction of having put his side into the lead.
Gilbey’s dismissal was both boneheaded and inexcusable. Having been correctly cautioned for tugging back Jamie Robson, he repeated the offence ten minutes later to prevent Conor McGrandles eluding him in the centre circle. The immediate threat posed by McGrandles was negligible but, as Jackson remarked, referees are quick to book offences which prevent the quick break. Both transgressions were committed under the official’s nose and rendered an alibi defence insupportable.
At the point of Gilbey’s shamefaced departure, the visitors were already a goal to the good. Moving laterally from right to left just outside the penalty area, Whittaker benefitted from indecisive tackling and a favourable run of the ball before finding the space he needed to fire a low drive inside Craig McGillivray’s left hand post. His strike was avoidable but clinically executed.
The Addicks could count themselves unlucky to fall behind after controlling the opening half hour. After seven minutes, Conor Washington skilfully chested down Adam Matthews’ hard delivery for his strike partner Jayden Stockley to whip a firm volley narrowly wide. Stockley went closer almost immediately by turning Gilbey’s hard-driven cross against Jordan Wright’s crossbar.
Just nine minutes into the second half, the feeling that this was not to be Charlton’s day hardened into certainty when Stockley rose to meet Ben Purrington’s cleverly flighted cross, momentarily beat Wright but was denied an equaliser as the keeper frantically clawed his header to safety. Your reporter added his partisan two-cent’s worth to the home crowd’s howls for justice but was privately unconvinced that the ball had crossed the goalline. You can’t blame a bloke for trying, of course, but Madley, unassisted by VAR as he was, was justified in cocking a deaf ‘un.
Local frustration continued to grow until Whittaker added his shoulder to the home wheel. His studs-up challenge on Purrington was late and dangerous, which meant his second entry into the official notebook. The most you could say for the young forward is that he wasted no time in arguing the toss. He was bang to rights and knew it.
Heartened by the readjustment in manpower, the Addicks eagerly sought equality and Stockley found space to meet Washington’s cross from the right, directed another header goalward but was again denied by an intelligently positioned Wright. Washington then curled a worthy effort wide and Brooke Norton-Cuffy’s magnificent recovery tackle foiled George Dobson before the Imps apparently quelled the revival with a second goal.
💬 "I don't quite know how we've lost the game with the amount of chances we created. I'm disappointed in that & the nature of the goals we conceded."
Johnnie Jackson speaks to CharltonTV following today's defeat…
— Charlton Athletic FC (@CAFCofficial) April 2, 2022
A constant threat to Jackson’s defence, Irish striker Anthony Scully had been working tirelessly with scant reward but kept going optimistically. With less than a quarter of an hour remaining, he cruised in from the left and bent a splendid right-footed drive into the far corner. That seemed to be that but Charlton were not quite finished.
Quickly finding his feet after his lengthy lay-off, Jake Forster-Caskey had replaced the serially disappointing Scott Fraser ten minutes before Scully scored and settled down quickly, with intelligent movement, a range of pinpoint passes and accurate setpieces. His 88th minute corner, swung outward from the left, was headed home by Stockley and City briefly wavered. Substitute Elliot Lee’s searching pass found Washington deep inside their penalty area but the Northern Irishman drove a last-gasp effort agonisingly wide.
Charlton’s threat duly petered out – rather like their season had several weeks ago.
This bollard off Victoria Way is repeatedly knocked over by careless drivers
COMMENT: At the start of 2020, without any announcement, Greenwich Council made some changes to turnings off Charlton Road. Local resident CHRIS MERRIMAN argues that the “improvements” have failed to stop antisocial behaviour from drivers – and are putting lives in danger.
In the weeks leading up to the first national lockdown in the UK, new paving appeared at junctions along Charlton Road.
This continuous or “Copenhagen” paving is supposed to provide enhanced safety for pedestrians by giving them clearly defined priority over motor vehicles. This, combined with redeveloped zebra crossings and raised paving at pavement edges, were completed when most people in Charlton were stuck indoors.
The “Copenhagen” paving is supposed to make streets safer
Unfortunately, Greenwich Council has made a hash of the process, turning the stretch between the Royal Standard and Little Heath into a near deathtrap.
Part of the problem is that the council failed to explain to anyone what had been done and why, and it seems that drivers aren’t clear either. I asked the council whether there would be any explanation to drivers as to how the new road layouts worked and was told that there was no need – it’s all in the Highway Code.
A Nisa driver forces a cyclist into danger at the top of Victoria Way
Well, allow me to retort. Firstly, “It’s all in the Highway Code” is essentially saying “We take no responsibility for road users”. A significant number of London’s drivers didn’t take their driving test in this country and are, perfectly legally and legitimately, blissfully unaware of the Highway Code.
Secondly, when the paving was installed, there was seemingly no effort made to update the road markings – despite the fact that the Give Way line has been pushed back by about ten metres. As a result, in places, the markings actually contradict the law, leading to people parking right up against the new junctions.
Some drivers think it is fine to park up against the junctions
To be fair to drivers, the revised layout is ridiculously unsafe as it requires them to stop so far back from the turning that they can’t actually see if it’s safe. As a result, the vast majority of cars still go straight over the Give Way lane, not only ignoring the pedestrian priority, but in many cases the pedestrians themselves – I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve nearly been knocked down by drivers assuming they have right of way.
The worst example of this was last month, where I watched a Greenwich Council bin lorry attempt to shunt a group of schoolchildren out of the way on one junction.
Openreach parking right up against the junction of Victoria Way
My repeated warnings that a child on the school run is going to get mowed down have gone unheeded so far. I fear that just as happened in Little Heath some years ago, it will take a death to make anyone act.
When the paving was initially installed, drivers began to use it as a way to cut the corner altogether. Even after the council added some bollards, these corners are increasingly dangerous. Indeed, some bollards have already had an argument with a vehicle.
In other areas, such as the entrance to Cherry Orchard Estate, couriers have decided to use them as car parking spaces. One Sunday, I watched a BMW sit, half on the pavement, half in a cycle lane, parked straight across the road junction.
Other drivers think it’s fine to park on the junctions – here, blocking the entrance to Cherry Orchard Estate
Greenwich Council has stated that all the work has been checked for safety compliance, but it’s quite clear that this was neither done in the context of surrounding street markings, nor taking into account that there has been no effort whatsoever on the part of the council to explain what has been done, why, and how to navigate it.
As well as the continuous paving, several zebra crossings were changed. Outside Charlton House, this crossing has been shunted right up against the corner, meaning drivers turning left from Hornfair Road are greeted by a blind bend with a zebra crossing on it. The crossing is deemed important enough to justify a wonderful, caring lollipop lady – but she is only in attendance for around 90 minutes per day in total.
But perhaps the biggest concern comes from the shops and crossing at the top of Victoria Way. A quick search confirms that the “D” shaped turn-in is considered part of Charlton Road and is serviceable by the council. We are lucky not to have had some sort of major accident.
Drivers park on the shopping parade when there’s clearly no room
Drivers park when there’s clearly no room – blocking surrounding pavements and sometimes blocking in other drivers.. There are no road markings in this area, let alone continuous pavements. Ideally, this layout needs reworking but that would be impossible, owing to the four mature trees between the turn-in and the main pavement.
Until the pandemic, drivers were acting reasonably and considerately. These days, half the parking spaces are taken up with vehicles belonging to shop staff, while customers crowbar themselves into the remaining space like it’s a divine right.
Horizontal parking has blocked the exit for the driver on the left
The biggest menace in this area, however, are lorry drivers restocking the shops. There isn’t an easy solution to this. Nisa delivers through its partner DHL in large juggernauts and there is simply nowhere to park them.
Almost daily, lorries can be found parked either on double yellow lines, completely obscuring the view for those turning out of Victoria Way, parking on the zig zags of the zebra crossings – an automatic three points to the driver if they’re caught.
Which brings us to the other major failing of the new road layouts in Charlton – the council simply doesn’t have anyone enforcing them.
Blocking cycle lane? ✓ Parked on zig-zags? ✓
Parked on the pavement? ✓ Any enforcement? ✘
Two hours before sitting down to write this piece, I watched a white van parked, half on the pavement, half in the cycle lane, completely in the zig-zag area. The engine was off. The drivers were sitting in the cab eating fried chicken. As I watched in disbelief, a UPS van did exactly the same, directly opposite, in order to make a delivery.
These were people content in the knowledge that no one ever checks – and to my mind, that means that Greenwich Council is failing at its duty, and is negligent of public safety. Things have to change before the next piece I write for The Charlton Champion is about someone’s death.
Unrepentant drivers reading might argue: “Well, what am I supposed to do?”
This delivery driver has forced one motorist into danger on the continuous pavement on Victoria Way
Not my problem, mate – the council may have been thoroughly negligent here but that doesn’t allow anyone to break the law.
For my part, I will continue to document offenders until Greenwich Council and Transport for London sort themselves out – but isn’t it a shame that a pedestrian feels the need to arm themselves with a ‘dashcam’ to walk down the street because a road safety initiative has made things spectacularly less safe.
Can you see the junction with Victoria Way? DHL blocking the road
Greenwich Council and Nisa were both shown the photos in this article. Greenwich said several weeks ago that action would be taken. As far as I can tell nothing has been done. Nisa and DHL have failed to respond, repeatedly.
This is an opinion piece and not the view of this website. Got a response? Add it below…
The switch means Greenwich Dance will now be based over the border in Bexley, but it says it will continue to work in all areas of the borough, including at Charlton House, as well across south London.
Melanie Precious, the chief executive of Greenwich Dance, said: “I am so proud of what we have achieved over the last few years. Under some of the most challenging of circumstances we have continued to be here to provide opportunities for our local residents and support for our dance artists and I’d like to thank Charlton House for supporting us through that period.
“The move to Thamesmead will see us upsize the potential reach of our work, continuing to animate community centres in Greenwich and beyond with dance while also creating even more opportunities for people to make, watch and take part in dance.”
The Charlton Champion 