Woolwich – Page 3 – The Charlton Champion

TfL ‘monitoring’ effects of widened bus lanes through Charlton

November 27, 2020June 19, 2023Darryl Chamberlain

Woolwich Road — Transport for London says the widened lane improves safety for cyclists

Transport for London says it is monitoring the effects of widened bus lanes between Charlton and Woolwich after over 2,000 people signed a petition calling for them to be removed.

The lanes have been widened between Anchor and Hope Lane and the Woolwich Ferry to assist buses and improve safety for cyclists, cutting the ordinary traffic lanes down to one in each direction.

In January TfL consulted on plans to build a segregated cycleway between Charlton and Woolwich, which would have had a similar effect, but after the coronavirus pandemic the route between Greenwich and Charlton was prioritised instead. Eventually TfL hopes there will be a continuous cycle route between Tower Bridge and Woolwich.

Bus lanes were widened as an interim measure – and introduced to Woolwich Church Street for the first time – to speed up services and to add some extra safety for cyclists. However, they have been blamed for increased congestion on Woolwich Road and Woolwich Church Street.

A petition created three weeks ago by Gagandeep Singh says there are “vehicles queuing up all day and evening”. By Thursday evening it had gained 2,359 names. One signatory claims it took them 90 minutes to travel between Woolwich and Charlton; another said: “It’s impossible to get out of the roundabout at Warspite Rd. Traffic jams are terrible all day long.”

While there has been a huge jump in traffic since the end of the first coronavirus lockdown, there has been congestion where drivers attempt to filter from two lanes to one at the junction with Anchor and Hope Lane. While the wider bus lanes – which replace narrow cycle lanes on Woolwich Road – allow cyclists to overtake buses at stops, they are not continuous. This means riders still have to take their chances with HGVs and other fast-moving traffic at roundabouts – despite the introduction of a 20mph speed limit on the route.

A Transport for London spokesperson told The Charlton Champion the widened lane had been introduced as part of its Streetspace programme “to create more space for people to safely walk and cycle”.

He added: “The bus lanes push general traffic and HGVs further away from cyclists; making this corridor a much more pleasant and less intimidating route, and provide a link from Woolwich into the Cycleway that is currently being built between Greenwich town centre and charlton. These lanes are an interim measure while we work on the permanent scheme that was consulted on earlier in 2020, and which would provide a two way segregated cycle lane taking people from Woolwich all the way into Greenwich, and eventually into central London.

“Bus lanes protect buses from congestion and ensure journey times and intervals between buses are more reliable. Bus lanes will help guard against a damaging car-led recovery by improving bus journey times and safety for Londoners making journeys by public transport and the increasing proportion travelling by bike.

“Changes made as part of the Streetspace programme are being introduced on a temporary basis under temporary traffic orders, and will be monitored after implementation to ensure they deliver the expected benefits. Monitoring along the A206 corridor will include reviewing cycle flows, perception of safety, collision rates, general traffic flows and bus journey times.”

He continued: “We are reviewing the operation of the bus lanes with the Royal Borough of Greenwich, and the data we are collecting is helping to inform these ongoing discussions. Where appropriate, adjustments to the scheme will be made if they aren’t performing how we expected. The new measures will be in place for up to 18 months, after which the monitoring strategy will form a key part of discussions between TfL and the council as to whether the scheme should be removed or made permanent.”

CYCLEWAY 4 PROGRESS

Woolwich Ferry to Anchor and Hope Lane, Charlton: Bus lanes as interim measure, funding for cycle route not yet certain

Anchor and Hope Lane to Farmdale Road, Greenwich: Work yet to start

Farmdale Road to Old Woolwich Road: Due to open early December

Old Woolwich Road to Old Royal Naval College: Uses existing routes

Old Royal Naval College to Norway Street, Greenwich: Awaiting funding application

Norway Street to Rotherhithe Tunnel: TfL in discussions with local councils, plans due in coming months

Rotherhithe Tunnel to Tower Bridge Road: Complete

Work is continuing on the cycleway between Old Woolwich Road and Farmdale Road, which will see a safer crossing put in place for riders at the Angerstein roundabout. It is due to open in early December – about two months later than planned.

The TfL spokesperson said: “This is later than originally anticipated for a number of reasons, including delays in our supply chain for temporary materials, issues with ducting identified when on site and a recent design change to Vanburgh Hill bus stops to assist bus operations.

“We are currently finalising plans for the section of cycleway between Charlton and Anchor and Hope Lane and will announce our proposals and construction timescales shortly.”

A small section of Cycleway 4 is already open between Tower Bridge and Rotherhithe Tunnel; TfL said this week that plans for the section through Deptford would be announced “in the coming months”.

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Planning application goes in for 766 new homes on site of Morris Walk Estate

November 10, 2020November 10, 2020Darryl Chamberlain

Trinity Park — The plans envisage taller blocks to the north of the site

Developer Lovell has submitted its planning application to redevelop the Morris Walk Estate on the Charlton/Woolwich border, with 766 new homes planned.

The application comes less than two weeks after the final consultation into the scheme ended. Locals will be able to have their say in the coming weeks when Greenwich Council’s planning department publishes full details of the scheme and asks for formal submissions. Lovell already has outline permission to build here, this application fills in the details.

Much of the old estate – built as 562 council homes between 1964 and 1966 – has now been demolished, although some tenants are still living in blocks to the north of the estate, off Woolwich Church Street.

Of the 766 homes promised, 177 will be for affordable rent (about half market rent) with 76 available for shared ownership. It promises “a high quality inclusive design which is sympathetic to the surrounding area, strengthening the visual connection across the rail line and providing green links to Maryon Park. The scale and form of the new buildings respond to the existing homes in the immediate context and integrate new green squares for people to meet and play.”

The company plans to build a mixture of one, two, three and four-bedroom houses and apartments, with more “affordable” housing and a cluster of taller blocks – of up to 13 storeys – to the north of the site. It plans 304 homes in the north of the site, of which 87 would be for affordable rent and 42 for shared ownership. There would be 144 car parking spaces.

To the south there would be more private housing, including blocks of up to six storeys high with houses closer to Maryon Park. Some 44 per cent of homes south of the railway line would have three bedrooms or more. There would be 462 homes, including 90 for affordable rent and 34 for shared ownership. There would be 281 car parking spaces, many beneath buildings to “to reduce on street car dominance and create a more pedestrian-friendly environment”.

If planning permission is given, Lovell hopes to start work in autumn 2021.

Lovell Trinity Park render — The view from Maryon Park – where Denmark House stood until recently

The development is part of a 12-year deal with Greenwich Council signed in 2012 which also includes the crumbling Maryon Road and Maryon Grove estates, which will also be rebuilt by Lovell, with a planning application scheduled for 2023. It has already turned Woolwich’s notorious Connaught estate into a new development called Trinity Walk.

However, there have been a series of hitches along the way: demolition of Morris Walk was due to begin two years ago; but when that date was missed it was claimed the development had been delayed for seven years.

Last summer a senior Greenwich councillor complained that Lovell had “let the council down”, but demolition finally got under way this summer. However, neighbours were annoyed after emergency services were allowed to carry out exercises in the fenced-off estate without informing them.

Mick Laws, the development and precommencement director at Lovell London, said: “This is an exciting regeneration programme for the area and if planning is granted, will not only provide new homes but much needed inward investment and jobs. Lovell is dedicated to building the proposed homes and working closely with Royal Borough of Greenwich throughout the process.”

Update: You can now see full details of the plans for Morris North and Morris South.

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Trinity Park: We’ve decoded the bizarre consultation for rebuilt Morris Walk Estate

October 27, 2020June 19, 2023Darryl Chamberlain

Danny Thorpe and Lovells execs — Greenwich Council leader Danny Thorpe (second left) on site for the start of demolition at Morris Walk during the summer

A new consultation about what will replace the Morris Walk Estate has been launched. However, you’re unlikely to have heard about it until this week, even though it launched last Friday, and it’s probably the strangest consultation we’ve ever come across – and we’ve seen a few in our time.

As a public service, we’ve taken the videos from it and are hosting them here so you can take part without having to flail around with a smartphone.

Demolition work is taking place on the Morris Walk Estate so it can be replaced by a new development, Trinity Park. The estate went up quickly in the mid-1960s, and it’s coming down quickly too – Denmark House, the tower block next to Maryon Park, has all but gone in just four weeks. The demolition teams could have been even speedier, but we’re hearing great care is being taken to avoid disturbing the neighbours. So far, so good.

The development is to be built by Lovell, which has turned the notorious Connaught Estate in Woolwich into Trinity Walk. It plans to replace the 562 homes of Morris Walk (all built for council housing) with 768 homes – 35 per cent will be “affordable”. The planning definition of “affordable” differs from the dictionary definition: a previous planning permission saw this break down to 25 per cent social rent and 10 per cent shared ownership, although a new planning application is on its way. We’d expect the social rent to be London Affordable Rent, which is half market rent – slightly higher than Greenwich Council rents, which are about 40 per cent market rents and among the cheapest in London.

Lovell will also demolish the dilapidated Maryon Road and Maryon Grove estates in due course; these are being handled separately.

Lovell leaflet — Lovell’s consultation leaflet – good luck with that

Lovell’s latest consultation began on Friday. It lasts a week. While other developers have made efforts to keep in touch with us about major schemes in SE7, Lovell didn’t tell us about this. It does say it told 290 surrounding residents, however, and left leaflets in locations including New Charlton Community Centre, St Thomas Church, Windrush Primary School and Time Court care home.

The consultation involves you having to point your mobile phone at QR codes which then bring up a series of videos. It’s not very accessible, to say the least – heaven knows what they made of it in the care home.

So we’ve got hold of the videos, uploaded them to our own site, and are presenting them here ourselves, right here on The Charlton Champion.

Lovell says it is unable to hold a physical consultation because of the pandemic, but others are making better jobs of it – see this Greenwich Council consultation into new housing in Eltham, or Aitch Group’s plans for Eastmoor Street.

Anyway, make yourself a cuppa, sit back, and find out more about what’s planned. (If you’re in a hurry, skip to video 6.)

By the way, we can’t change the music. Sorry.

Video 1: A brief introduction. You can probably skip this, to be honest.

Video 2: A description of the dismantling and demolition work. Morris North = north of the railway line. Morris South = south of it.

Video 3: A description of past consultation events. Local people like the public transport and green space; hate the fact they’re living next to crumbling estates with antisocial behaviour, flytipping and parked cars. They would like a small supermarket and for the development to fit in with its neighbours.

Video 4: A description of the area. Yes, you know it, but it’s all about context.

Video 5: Now it’s an introduction to the masterplan. Odd to claim that one of the downsides of the Morris Walk Estate was that it didn’t have enough private housing, but there you go. However, this promises a mix of private, shared ownership and “affordable” homes (at least they’re separated the last two out) and pledges the railway will be used to unite rather than divide the community. Taller buildings will be placed nearer the A206, smaller buildings at the Charlton end.

Video 6: The interesting bits begin. Plans for Morris North: 304 new homes (296 flats, eight houses) with blocks of up to 13 storeys. 144 car parking spaces, mostly underground. Public courtyards with green spaces, and views to the parks and across the Thames (from the 13th floor, presumably).

Video 7: Morris South plans: 462 homes (309 flats, 153 houses) with blocks of up to six storeys. Houses to fit in with their neighbours on Maryon Road and Woodland Terrace. A new pedestrian street, Maryon Park Avenue, will lead right from the park towards Woolwich Dockyard. 288 car parking spaces, to be designed so it doesn’t feel there are cars everywhere.

Video 8: What happens next. Please send your feedback and work goes on to finalise the planning applications.

Here are the exhibition boards to download, if the text on the videos is small to read.

However, they don’t include the renders of what’s proposed, so we’ve taken some screenshots. Much of the work closer to Charlton looks decent. It’s a shame the mess of a consultation lets it down.

Trinity Park render — The view along Maryon Park Avenue

Lovell render — Looking up Prospect Vale

Roughly where Woodland Terrace, Charlton, meets Prospect Vale, Woolwich. New housing planned for old tower block site

Morris North render — The view from Woolwich Church Street

One you’ve watched all that, you can send feedback using this form. Closing date is this Thursday, 30 October – we’d have told you about this earlier if we knew.

Please tell them we sent you.

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Demolition begins at Morris Walk Estate as developers target autumn 2021 for new homes

August 6, 2020Darryl Chamberlain

Morris Walk estate - Lovell image — Morris Walk Estate is finally coming down

Demolition crews have moved in to the Morris Walk Estate on the Charlton/Woolwich border, starting a year of work to dismantle the 1960s blocks before work can start on 900 new homes.

The estate is being redeveloped in conjunction with the Connaught Estate in Woolwich, which has largely been rebuilt by developer Lovell as Trinity Walk. The company hopes to start work on the new homes at Morris Walk in autumn 2021.

Built in the mid-1960s as part of a long-delayed slum clearance programme – Morris Walk was one of the streets destroyed – the estate was constructed using prefabricated parts built at a factory in Norwich and taken by train to Charlton, where lorries would take the parts to the estate. Two flats were put together each day. The first tenants were housed in December 1964, and the estate was finished by the autumn of 1966.

The distinctive blocks were seen as a success at the time, but within a year of the estate being completed severe condensation started to blight its 562 homes along with rodents and poor soundproofing. A gas explosion at Ronan Point – built using similar methods – across the river in Canning Town in 1968 led to more worries about the blocks, and they were refurbished in the mid-1980s. Plans to demolish the blocks were announced in 2006. Delays have reset the project since then, with discord between the council and Lovell. Demolition was due to begin two years ago.

In 2014, outline planning permission was given for up to 766 homes – a quarter for social rent and 10 per cent for shared ownership. Those plans envisaged tall blocks to the north with houses and maisonettes to the south. However, a new masterplan is being prepared and detailed plans will have to be approved by Greenwich Council before work can begin. A consultation is due later this year.

Chris Wallace, the construction director at Lovell said: “The demolition work is a very complex procedure which has to be carefully planned due to the height and layout of the estate, the vicinity of the rail lines and proximity of the local community. As usual, health and safety is our key priority and we will communicate to the local residents on a regular basis.”

The start of demolition comes after the Ministry of Defence and police apologised to neighbours for setting off explosions in the derelict estate in June.

Both Greenwich Council and Lovell said they were not responsible for allowing emergency services to carry out exercises on the estate, with conflicting accounts over what happened. Lovell has now blamed a “miscommunication” between it, the MoD, police and council.

The MoD said: “We regret that the conduct of this exercise caused disruption, particularly as the activity took place late in the day. The Ministry of Defence continues to be extremely grateful for the support from the local community for critical exercises such as this, and we apologise for the inconvenience it has caused.”

The Metropolitan Police said: “The Metropolitan Police Service were advised of a military exercise due to be held on the 23rd June at the Morris Walk Estate. The MPS regrettably did not foresee the impact that this would have on the community. We apologise for any upset or distress caused to the community by the Military activity during their training exercise.”

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Neighbours angry after mystery explosions rock doomed Morris Walk Estate

June 25, 2020June 24, 2020Darryl Chamberlain

Residents were left furious after emergency services carried out exercises in the boarded-up Morris Walk Estate on Tuesday evening – but both Greenwich Council and the developer who will rebuild the estate have denied responsibility for the incident.

People who live close to the estate, on the Charlton/Woolwich border, were disturbed by two loud explosions and other noise during the afternoon and evening, with one blast happening at 10.50pm.

Some reported seeing the army on the estate, which is to be knocked down as part of a £269m deal with the developer Lovell, which is also rebuilding the Connaught Estate in Woolwich. The estate was emptied last year and hoardings have been erected ahead of demolition.

Both the council and Lovell have insisted they were not responsible for allowing the exercise to take place on the estate. Neither party can even agree on which emergency services were on the estate, with Lovell insisting the army were not involved but the police and fire brigade were.

The incident came three days after an attack in Reading in which three people died, after which a man was arrested under the Terrorism Act.

Woodland Terrace/ Prospect Vale — Residents in Woodland Terrace, Charlton, back onto the doomed estate

Helen Jakeways, who lives next to the estate, told this website: “The disturbances started yesterday mid-afternoon with a huge bang that sounded like a bomb going off which shook the walls of my house. This was followed by a series of smaller bangs and what sounded like an intermittent stream of fireworks or firecrackers. It took me over an hour to stop my terrified dogs from shaking.

“I was then woken up at 10.50pm to the sound of another huge explosion which shook the house again and resulted in yet more terrified and shaking dogs.

“On all fronts this exercise was absolutely unforgivable, especially given the anxiety and stress many people are experiencing right now. My inboxes have been full of comments from really concerned neighbours today – this shook everyone up round here, especially those who are feeling vulnerable at the moment, and I’m not surprised.”

Another resident, Ed Simmons, said on Twitter: “So the MoD are blowing stuff up on the estate behind our house whilst engaging in urban combat training at 11pm in a derelict estate, 100 metres from my open window. The house shook, the machine gun isn’t so bad in comparison!”

Fenced off Morris Walk — Some work is already taking place behind the hoardings

Greenwich Council said it had not been informed of the exercises on the estate. A spokesperson said: “The council understands that was some activity by the MoD and police which caused some disruption and concern to local residents. The council was unaware this was taking place and had not been notified by Lovell, the council’s developer partner for the redevelopment of this estate.

“The council has made clear to all parties this is unacceptable and is sorry that this has happened causing concern for local residents. The council will carefully review any further requests and in the event permission is given that there is clear communication with residents in advance of any activity being undertaken.”

However, a spokesperson for Lovell said that the police and fire brigade were on site, and it had not allowed the exercises on site either.

A spokesperson for Lovell said: “Following the activities reported on the evening of Tuesday 23 June on the Morris South Estate, Lovell can confirm that no such similar activity will take place after the company takes ownership and control of the land from Monday 29 June.

“Going forward, if Lovell has to conduct any activity which may cause a disturbance outside the agreed construction hours, the company will consult first with local residents to make sure local residents are fully aware.”

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Chop chop! One-hour Sainsbury’s deliveries come to Charlton

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020Darryl Chamberlain2 Comments

Sainsbury's Charlton Riverside — You can beat the queues at Sainsbury’s… at a cost

Living near a load of supermarkets has its downsides – litter, dumped trolleys, rat-running – but if you live within about three kilometres of Sainsbury’s at Charlton Riverside, the store giant wants to make your life a little easier.

The store is now offering one-hour deliveries through the Sainsbury’s Chop Chop app – select up to 20 goods, and they should come to you within an hour. The scheme has been trialled with bicycles in the Southwark area – we wait to see whether Sainsbury’s staff will be puffing up Charlton Church Lane with your last-minute shopping, or dicing it on the Woolwich Road.

This all comes at a cost – delivery is £4.99, so competitive with taking a minicab, although there are some opening offers; your first order is free if it’s over £15. Watch for the price of goods too – our keen-eyed Charlton Champion consumer expert has noticed some goods are more expensive (1.25 litres of Coke Zero currently £1 in store, £1.15 on the app).

Of course, you could walk to the store and get a bit of exercise – but if you’re in a hurry, or it’s raining, this could come in very handy if you’re happy to pay extra.

Three kilometres takes in Greenwich and Woolwich town centres and Blackheath Village, so there’s bound to be a lot of demand. We haven’t tried it yet, but we’d be interested to hear from readers who have – the comments are open. You can download the app at chopchopapp.co.uk.

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Morris Walk developer Lovell ‘let down’ Greenwich Council, housing chief says

July 11, 2019June 19, 2023Darryl Chamberlain

Greenwich Council has been “badly let down” by the developer in charge of rebuilding the crumbling Morris Walk Estate, its senior councillor in charge of housing said last night as it approved plans to knock down the 1960s estate.

The council entered into a 12-year deal with Lovell in 2012 to redevelop the Connaught Estate in Woolwich town centre and the Morris Walk and Maryon Road estates, on the Woolwich/Charlton border.

While Lovell has pressed ahead with turning the Connaught – close to the under-construction Crossrail station – into the Trinity Walk development, where 445 of the 689 homes are for private sale, work has not started on Morris Walk or Maryon Road. This is despite the council having spent years moving tenants and leaseholders out.

Now frustrated councillors have agreed to tell Lovell to knock Morris Walk down anyway, to stop the largely deserted estate from being a haven for crime and anti-social behaviour. Demolition had been due to begin in autumn 2018.

‘Build date could not be met’

Chris Kirby, the cabinet member for housing, told the cabinet – the council’s main decision-making body – that the council has been asked for “vacant possession” of the blocks. “When that process had begun, we were informed that the build date could not be met,” he said.

“To say I am disappointed doesn’t cover my feelings towards that. I feel badly let down by Lovell and I have told them in no uncertain terms.”

The agreement was signed off by former leader Chris Roberts and his cabinet, which included current Woolwich Riverside councillors John Fahy and Jackie Smith, whose ward covers the estate.

“If we were writing it now we would design it in a different way, but I’m not here to unpick old agreements,” Kirby said.

“Where we are in is a really difficult negotiation about bringing the build date forward. There’s a huge amount of concern and frustration about the start date – it’s difficult to give a running commentary on a negotiation, but as soon as we have concrete information for residents, we will do.

“We’re looking for that start date to be as soon as possible. We’re working with Lovell, with PA Housing [the housing association involved in the scheme], with police and with residents to mitigate the fallout from where we are.”

‘Not short of a bob or two’

Addressing the cabinet, John Fahy spoke of how Lovell’s parent company, Morgan Sindall, presented to councillors at the Local Government Association conference in Bournemouth last week that it had “£2billion in 2012, and £2 billion in 2019”, “They’re not short of a bob or two,” he said.

Kirby responded: “I just agree with you. Developers are allowed to get away with this kind of activity all around the country and what we need is a radical government that’s going to stop landbanking and restore grants for the building of social homes.”

Council leader Danny Thorpe defended the original deal with Lovell, saying the estates were “exempted” from the Decent Homes Programme, a Blair-era programme to bring social housing up to scratch. “We can’t defend squalor, we want to see a decent standing of housing moving forward, and we will be holding PA Housing to account for their actions as well.”

Councillors also approved a decision to approve compulsory purchase orders on the estate on improved terms, following a government decision involving Southwark Council and the Aylesbury Estate in Walworth. “This is now seen as best practice, which is why it is back before us tonight,” Kirby said.

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