You’ve probably heard – especially if you read the local blogs – of the amenity societies that play a big part in the way this part of south-east London is run. Personally speaking, they’ve a pretty patchy record of late and I don’t think the wider glare of publicity has done them any good.

At worst, they’re closed and suspicious of outsiders, and used by councils and other bodies instead of actually talking to people. The Westcombe Society‘s chairman once threw me out of a “public” meeting with LOCOG because I wasn’t a member, but wielded a press card instead.

The Blackheath Society‘s been left in a bit of a tizz after blowing a huge sum of money on a court case against a music festival on the heath, while the Greenwich Society shot itself in the foot by backing the almost-universally unpopular Greenwich market hotel.

At best, though, they can be a uniting force for good. The Brockley Society, for example, automatically includes anyone who lives in its patch as a member.

But did you know there’s a Charlton Society? It has no website, and the only wider publicity is a small sign on the notice board at St Luke’s Church. But yes, there certainly is a Charlton Society, it’s been around since the 1960s, and it has a role in every planning application in SE7. If you want to a build an extension, they’ll know about it.

That is, alas, about all I know about it.

Perhaps considering the blunders made by other societies, it’s probably a good thing that the Charlton Society has a profile lower than the average MI5 operative. But it’s getting a website soon, and it’s holding an AGM on Saturday at Charlton House. And you, yes you, are welcome to come along.

Here’s chair David Gardner to tell you more:

The Charlton Society has its 42nd. AGM next Saturday 15 October, in the Grand Salon at Charlton House. The Society has been flying the flag for the conservation and improvement for Charlton – with some great achievements under our belts and many more challenges ahead.

We have had an active year on planning, transport, heritage and environmental fronts – and we have started to build relationships with new partners as Charlton’s civic society gains strength. Next year we have the Olympics, the 200th. anniversary of the assassination of PM Sir Spencer Perceval, buried in St. Luke’s and Greenwich becoming a Royal Borough. We also have the Charlton House estate probably being transferred to the management of a new Trust and the future of the animals in Maryon Wilson Park remains in the balance. Two tremendous assets that really make Charlton distinctive. We will have our first hotel under way and (probably) an application for a new Sainsbury’s supermarket both in Charlton Riverside. We should also, after four long years waiting, have the outcome of the Conservation area review so vital to our heritage in Charlton village.

We have also had an active social and lecture programme as well as our first Annual Dinner. But we do need more support and, therefore, I hope that you might consider joining the society if you are not already a member (£10 or £7 for concessions), or attending the AGM next Saturday where we will be joined by our local councillors, the Deputy Mayor and Lord Gough, our President. Refreshments will be served. If you are able to be involved more during the year then do contact me or our secretary, Roden Richardson.

There’s been a revival of community activism in SE7 over recent years, with the establishment of the Charlton Central Residents Association and the birth in recent months of the Charlton Riverside Action Group, while the Charlton Rail Users Group has already headed off plans to cut train services during the Olympics.

But if these energies can be ploughed into the Charlton Society too, then we can have a group that represents the broader community instead of a small sub-section. It’s easy to carp at these groups – and sometimes they can make it very easy to carp – but here’s an opportunity to get involved and make Charlton a place to be proud of.

So, what are you waiting for? Charlton House, Saturday, 2.30pm.

(If you want to find out more now, here’s the latest Charlton Society newsletter.)

Sainsbury’s Greenwich food store will move 400 metres to a new plot within the Charlton retail parks if plans are approved. This Sainsbury’s, its flagship store, was opened in September 1999 by Jamie Oliver.

It was billed as the supermarket for the new millennium. Last year it was visited by President Zuma of South Africa and was also winner of the an RIBA Sustainability Award in 2000.

Chief executive Dino Adriano proudly announced at the time of its opening: “This store represents a watershed in supermarket architecture. We will learn from the energy saving features of this remarkable store and consider where we can use them again.”

A host of energy saving features were incorporated into its design such as solar panels, wind turbines, large windows for natural light, insulating earth banks and electric car charging points. Ironically one of its greatest technological advances is believed to be its downfall. A large underfloor radiator heats the store using waste heat from its own refrigerators. But this technology is said to have caused problems with flooding and has led to the store being closed on numerous occasions.

The land where the Sainsbury’s is currently located is now owned by retail developers LXB Properties. As well as owning the land for the proposed new site they are also behind the building of the new Travelodge which is due to be completed next year.

Plans to move the store to Charlton were released to the stock exchange in May and further details were given at a meeting with local residents last week.

The plot of land earmarked for Sainsbury’s (see picture below) is where Wickes and Dreams are currently situated. The former will be relocated at the old Lidl site and the latter will move further along the road into the Stone Lake Retail Park.

The new Sainsbury’s will be three times the size of the current store and will also be the centre of its online operations in the area, providing a base for home deliveries. It’s hoped the increased size will allow the store to develop and sell more of its non-food items. Planning approval is due to be sought from Greenwich Council later this year with an opening date pencilled in for 2013.

Sainsbury’s regional property development head Jamie Baker says the store will at least match the current outlet’s eco-friendly credentials:

“We believe this is a great opportunity to improve the Sainsbury’s offer to our customers in Greenwich and look forward to working with LXB to deliver what will be another flagship environmental store for us.”

Other plans include a creche for parents to use while shopping as well as a bus countdown screen at the store’s checkouts.

This announcement may leave some regular shoppers astonished at the move. However, the flooding at the current store and the increased footfall over at Charlton’s retail parks must be the two key reasons for the relocation.

Despite this there are numerous interesting questions this issue raises. What will the new Tesco in Woolwich make of this development? How will traffic alter in Bugsby’s Way and Woolwich Road over the coming years? How will public transport develop, with Charlton station now close to yet another large amenity? Will Sainsburys learn from the mistakes they have made with the peninsula site? What will happen with the plot of land south of this site linking it to Woolwich Road? What will happen to the small ecology park to the rear of its current site? What retailer would want to move into the empty peninsula building and how will they deal with the store’s capacity to flood?

No doubt all these issues will need to be addressed but one certainty is this development, if given planning permission, will have to take centre stage with the council’s long term plans for Charlton riverside.