Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender - June 11th 2025 by CommunityMattersMedia

Free digital support sessions

Royal Greenwich residents can get free one-to-one digital support every Wednesday from 10am to 12noon at St Mary’s Eltham Community Centre, 180 Eltham High Street SE9 1BJ.

These weekly drop-in sessions run until Wednesday 2 July and take place alongside the council’s Advice Hubs.

The sessions are open to everyone, especially those who need help using devices or accessing online services.

Friendly staff are on hand to support with:

• setting up or using a phone, tablet or computer

• accessing emails, council services or job search websites

• online safety and scam awareness

• making video calls or using social media to stay connected

• and much more.

No need to book, just drop in.

Woolwich Waves – your new state-ofthe-art leisure centre finally has a name

After an incredible response with thousands of Royal Greenwich residents voting, we can finally reveal the name of our new destination leisure centre in Woolwich.

With a whopping 66.3% of the vote, Woolwich Waves was the public’s first choice, well ahead of MOVE Woolwich and Woolwich Active.

More than 1,000 votes were cast in the first 24 hours following an invitation to residents to have their say, which was viewed more than 50,000 times across social media.

A Royal Borough of Greenwich spokesperson said: “The countdown to the opening of Woolwich Waves is now on and we’re sure the excitement among residents will continue to grow as we move closer to getting the venue ready to open its doors later this year.”

“It will be a brilliant venue unlike any other in the capital and it is fitting that residents have played a key role in naming it. The name points to the excellent swimming pools that residents will soon be able enjoy, and no doubt the waves that will be created by those

sliding down the iconic flumes that pay homage to the Waterfront Leisure Centre that so many of us have fond memories of .”

Once open, Woolwich Waves will be home to two swimming pools, water slides, a gym across two levels, a health suite with a spa and sauna, a five-a-side football pitch, sports courts, a creche, soft play and party space, and a cafe.

The Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender is an independent weekly newspaper, covering the boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham.

We publish every Wednesday, covering every postcode sector of the borough, and boasting, by far, the highest weekly circulation in Greenwich. Each week, we deliver our paper to every Greenwich neighbourhood, with further copies stocked at convenient public stands. We are also the highest distribution newspaper in Lewisham.

You can also view each edition online, as well as daily news and events, on our website: www.weekender.co.uk

The Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender covers all aspects of life in the boroughs, including music, theatre, comedy, film, events, and food and drink, as well as all your community events and campaigns.

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Issue: GLW417

Pick of the Week

Second year students on Trinity Laban’s Musical Theatre course will be presenting Grease: The Musical at Blackheath Halls. Follow 1950s Rydell High School and follow the romance between new girl Sandy and popular guy Danny, who find their summer love challenged by the pressures of teenage life. Featuring iconic songs like Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’ and You’re the One that I Want. Join Danny, Sandy and the rest of the Pink Ladies and greaser gang for laughs, drama and unforgettable musical moments.

Location: Blackheath Halls, Great Hall, 23 Lee Rd, Blackheath, London SE3 9RQ

Dates: 17th June 2025 - 21st June 2025

Time: Tuesday - Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 2:30pm

Tickets: £15 per ticket, £10 concessions Buy tickets here: trinitylaban.ac.uk/whats-on

Confessions of a Teletubby at Woolwich Works

Remember the Teletubbies? Ever wondered what it was like behind the scenes? Discover the truth with the original LaaLaa as she spills the beans on what it took to become one of the world’s most famous giant yellow puppets. Nikky Smedlet played LaaLaa (the yellow one) in the original series of Teletubbies for six years. Hear what is was like in one of those Tubby suits, how the NooNoo really worked and why children loved the show so much. Confessions of a Teletubby is loosely based on Nikky’s best-selling book Over the Hills and Far Away- My Life as a Teletubby. You’ll hear frank, hilarious and sometimes tragic stories of the human experience within a truly surreal world. Plus you’ll have the chance to ask Nikky anything you’ve always wanted to know about Teletubbies, and maybe get a selfie! Suitable for ages 16+.

Location: Woolwich Works (Ropekeepers Studio), The Fireworks Factory, 11 No.1 Street, Woolwich, London, SE18 6HD. Date: Sunday 22nd June. Time: 6pm - 7:30pm Tickets: Buy tickets here for £13.75: www.woolwich.works

The Windrush Concert III at Broadway Theatre

Hosted by Felicity Ethnic with her stage husband Daddy Ernie, in their Windrush Front Room, enjoy a relaxing rum punch as you take a walk down memory lane. This concert will capture the sound of the Bluespot Gram and breadth of musical influence that the Windrush Generation has had on British culture. Appearances from Johnny Orlanda the Windrush legend with his renditions of classic Windrush tracks and Winsome Moncrieffe-Mitchell singing her hit songs.

Location: Broadway Theatre, Rushey Grn, London SE6 4RU

Date: Sunday 22nd June. Time: 7:30pm - 10:30pm

Tickets: Buy tickets here for £23.50: www.broadwaytheatre.org.uk/events

This free event for 3-7 year olds is a morning of storytelling with writer and theatre maker Niall Moorjani. Learn about Rajiv, a character who has feelings for everything, but he is angry and doesn’t know why. With the help of his father, he sets out on a journey to make sense of his feelings. It is a journey that will take him to a park, then up into the branches of a tree, and from there all the way to the stars... Join Niall telling their queer stories of heroes and adventures as they read their beautifully and stunningly illustrated story, helping children everywhere explore the complex emotions we all feel but cannot always name.

Location: Deptford Lounge, 9 Giffin St, Deptford SE8 4RJ

Date: Saturday 21st June

Time: 10:30am

Tickets: No ticket required, this event is free to drop in

Davy’s Quiz Night at Wine Vaults Greenwich

Test out your general knowledge and trivia skills at Davy’s Quiz night, which is happening every third Thursday throughout summer. There are first and second place prizes available. First place will get give you and the team a round of bowling at Wine Vault’s brand new boutique bowling alley, Vintners Lanes for you and the team after the quiz. Second place is a £60 bar tab. Each team is up to six players maximum.

Location: Davy’s Wine Vaults Greenwich, 161 Greenwich High Road, Greenwich, London, SE10 8JA

Dates: 19th June. Time: 7pm

Tickets: £2 per ticket, buy on the door

Grease: the Musical by Trinity Laban Musical Theatre

The great outdoors

A lineup of breathtaking outdoor performances is coming to Greenwich this summer, writes Evie Flynn...

The Greenwich and Docklands International Festival (GDIF) is London’s longest established free festival of outdoor performances and is returning to Greenwich, Newham and Thamesmead from Friday 22nd August until Saturday 6th September.

Celebrating its 30 years, the festival has announced its initial lineup of acts with the theme ‘Above and Beyond’. The performances often feature extraordinary staging in public spaces across Greenwich, Newham and Thamesmead and every performance is free to attend.

This years highlights announced include: Parkour artists:

This years’ theme is embodied by French parkour artists Lézards Bleus with a heart stopping performance of movement across landmark buildings in Woolwich on Friday 22nd August.

This world premiere has been specially commissioned to mark

the 30th anniversary of the festival, with a spectacular formation of climbing combined with choreography and music inspired by Woolwich’s rich history.

A central collaboration with the locally based Citizens of the World Choir reflects the creativity and stories of local people who have been at the heart of GDIF for the last 30 years.

The Weight of Water:

A water-based spectacle called The Weight of Water from Dutch company Panama Pictures.

This is a powerful response to the climate crisis that merges dance, circus and live music on water performed on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th September in Thamesmead.

A huge floating structure tips back and forth on water, with nail-biting choreography as dancers fight to cling on.

Fragments of Us:

The world premier of Fragments of Us celebrates the endless possibilities of Black masculinity through poetry and movement.

This will be a new collaboration between leading black theatre company, Talawa, and acclaimed Black British dance company, Fubnation.

With rhythmic beats and soulful expressions, striking images of brotherhood and the richness of community, are layered with moments of up-close personal storytelling to create a moving testimony to collective history and identity.

It will be performed on Thursday 4th September in Woolwich.

Dancing City:

Dancing City, a popular ‘festival within the festival’, will return this year featuring an exciting new partnership with New York’s iconic Fire Island Dance Festival.

This is a lineup of international LGBTQIA+ dance artists who will perform within the festival on Saturday 6th September).

Dancing City will also feature three London premieres from groundbreaking disabled artists and companies, along with a huge variety of work from exceptional homegrown and international artists.

Greenwich Fair:

Greenwich Fair returns for the first time since 2023 with a Bank Holiday weekend programme of outdoor performances for families in Greenwich Park.

Family-friendly street theatre, circus, dance and games will showcase the recently relandscaped General Wolfe Plaza.

It will be headlined by Epiphytes, an all-female high-wire walk above London framed by an iconic panoramic view on 23rd and 24th August.

Other highlights will be extraordinary puppetry in Theatre-Rites and Miguel Altunaga’s Eshu at the Crossroads, Miss High Leg Kick’s camp and playful celebration of ecology Lady Garden.

Other highlights of the 16 day festival include:

● Engineering and performance collide over the course of a weekend in Turning Worlds, a performance of four shows which fuse the worlds of circus, physics and robotics on 30th and 31st August, Greenwich Peninsula.

● A 160 page limited edition coffee table book titled Above and Beyond: 30 years of Greenwich + Docklands International Festival’ written and edited by Fiona Hughes will be published by Unicorn Publishing Group on 22 August.

Bradley Hemmings MBE, GDIF’s Artistic Director, said: “This year’s theme Above and Beyond grows out of 30 years of delivering GDIF across Greenwich, East London and the City of London. In that time we’ve learned that there are no edges or boundaries in outdoor theatre and the usual distinctions between art and the everyday are often miraculously blurred.

“This year our “stage” stretches out in all directions - across parks, town centres, basketball courts, roofs and a water space, whilst we also invite audiences to look up, both physically and imaginatively. In the difficult, often fractious times we’re living through, the festival offers a moment in the midst of life’s challenges, to take a breath and experience something uplifting, free and accessible which everyone can enjoy.

Summer Time at the Southbank Centre

Until Sunday 31 August

Dive in for art, performance, music, free events and outdoor fun, and find a warm welcome at the Southbank Centre this summer

The Southbank Centre is the largest arts centre in the UK and one of the nation’s top five visitor attractions, showcasing world-class artists, right in the heart of Lambeth. Join us this summer with plenty of outdoor fun and free events for all ages across our 11-acre site on the River Thames. Come to splash in the fountain, relax in our Roof Garden, sample sizzling street food and soak up sun, shows and art. We’re just a short bus or train ride away!

Climb the famous yellow stairs or take the lift to the top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall and find our beloved Roof Garden; home to over 200 wild native plants, a luscious lawn, the Roof Garden Bar & Kitchen and spectacular views of the city.

There’s plenty to eat and drink across our bars, restaurants and cafes, including panoramic views from the new Seventy5th Balcony Bar. With a huge choice of global and local street food and drinks, the Southbank Centre Food Market (open Fridays to Sundays) is a must-visit. Plus, take your pick of our summer pop-ups: Chocofruit, Frank!, Jimmy’s BBQ Club, SNOG, Truffle Burger, The Thirsty Farrier and Bar Under the Bridge.

Discover exciting music, dance, art, literature and free events across our series and festivals this summer. The packed programme includes; Little Simz’ Meltdown (Thursday 12 – Sunday 22 June), with a stellar lineup of British and international artists taking to the stage; New Music Biennial (Friday 4 – Sunday 6 July) with some of the best new music being composed in the UK in a free festival; ESEA Encounters (Thursday

Dive in UNTIL SUN 31 AUG

17 – Sunday 20 July), a showcase of incredible artistry from East and South East Asia and the diaspora; and Dance Your Way Home (Wednesday 23 July – Friday 29 August), a summer celebration of the dancefloor and all the ways that dance connects us.

At the Hayward Gallery, don’t miss the captivating, creative world of Yoshitomo Nara (Tuesday 10 June – Sunday 31 August) in the largest European retrospective of one of Japan’s most celebrated artists, featuring more than 150 works in drawing, painting, sculpture, installation and ceramics.

Explore free public art across the site, including the familyfavourite Appearing Rooms fountain by artist Jeppe Hein , or get your groove on and discover free dance events on the Riverside Terrace throughout the summer.

Visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk/summer to find out more about what’s on this summer at the Southbank Centre

© Cesare

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The full line-up at the Greenwich Peninsula this summer

The Peninsula Summer is back this year with a seasonlong celebration of creativity, community and culture. Starting on 10th July, the full programme features food, music and art, writes Evie Flynn...

The Peninsula is home to London’s only rooftop basketball court, London’s first elevated garden park, architecturally impressive Design District and the Canteen Food Hall. It also hosts the iconic O2 Arena and one of the capital’s best collections of free to see public art.

This summer, throughout the whole of July and August, a series of summer activations are planned to keep you Greenwich locals and visitors and entertained.

Mini Golf: returns 10th July

Wild Swim Mini golf returns this July with a technicolour golf course created by internationally recognised art duo Graphic Rewilding.

You can experience the studio’s large-scale nature-inspired installations, inspired by flora and fauna originally found in the Peninsula’s historic marshlands.

This mini golf is the perfect way to round off an evening with friends and will run until August.

Location: Canteen Courtyard, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ (tickets to be confirmed soon)

Charity Super.Mkt- returns 10th July (FREE)

These pop-ups are a favourite at the Peninsula, bringing together a cohort of local and national charities from across the UK to retail together

under one roof until August.

There will be a carefully selected mixture of pre-loved fashion, founded by some of fashion and retail’s most brilliant minds, Wayne Hemingway MBE and Maria Chenoweth.

All proceeds go to charitable causes and is a type of retail that does good for both people and the planet.

Location: NOW Gallery, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

Summer Street Eats: July to August

Complementing the Canteen Food Hall, there will be a pop-up fleet of street food trucks lining the Peninsula and bring the flavours to the Peninsula’s summer celebrations.

There will be long-time favourites including doughnuts, ice cream, pizzas, pick’n’mix, crepes, waffles and churros and more to choose from.

Location: Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

Chromatic River Walk: July - August (FREE)

The Chromatic River Walk by Kitty Joseph brings a sweep of colour to the Thames Park throughout July and August. She is known for her

use of colour, light and movement.

This will be Graphic-turned-fashion designer Joseph’s largest public installation to date. Textures will be inspired by the neon reflections on the river at sunset and aim to transform a simple walk into an uplifting, meditative experience.

Location: Thames Path, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

Jazz and Food Festival: 26th July (FREE)

This free-to-attend Rhythm and Taste Jazz and Food Festival will return to the peninsula on Saturday 26th July and is a one-day celebration of music, food and community.

It will bring together some genredefying sounds and street flavours in a unique open-air setting.

For music, you can expect unmissable sounds from jazz collective Steamdown, rising talents Shunaji and Knats, Design District’s radio community LOOSE.fm and more.

Location: Design District, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

Firepit Gallery: TuesdaySaturday all summer (FREE)

The Firepit gallery will be a place

to explore and interact with new pieces of art and installations.

There will be a variety of events, workshops, exhibitions and performances throughout summer. Firepit Gallery will also host community projects and will be an essential destination for anyone who loves art.

Location: Firepit Gallery, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

Greenwich and Docklands International Festival: 3031st August (FREE)

London’s longest running free outdoor theatre and performing arts festival is back for its 30th edition titled Turning Worlds.

It will unite spectacle, music, atmosphere and joy and is all about making exciting things happen in unexpected spaces. From parkour acts to water performancesthere’s a whole line-up of amazing performances planned.

Location: Peninsula Square and Design District, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

To learn more about the Peninsula’s summer, visit: https://www. greenwichpeninsula.co.uk/ whats-on/peninsula-summer

Beckenham school receives superb inspection report

It will be joining St Dunstan’s Education Group, which currently educates nearly 1,800 children in south-east London, writes Evie Flynn...

St Christopher’s The Hall in Beckenham has received a superb result from its recent independent schools inspection.

St Christopher’s is a co-ed prep school for children aged 3-11, located on Bromley Road, Beckenham. They underwent an inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in March this year, under the ISI’s rigorous new framework.

The ISI now evaluated based on academic achievement, compliance, personal development, leadership, and the overall quality of education.

St Christopher’s the Hall was even awarded a ‘significant strength’, the highest commendation available, for its leadership of teaching and learning and the improvement of the quality of education.

Headteacher, Tom Carter, said: “This report is a powerful affirmation of everything we stand for at St Christopher’s.

“It reflects the dedication of our staff, the joyful engagement of our pupils, and the strength of our community.”

This report comes at an exciting time for St Christopher’s The Hall as earlier this year, it was announced the school would be joining St Dunstan’s Education Group, which currently educates nearly 1,800 children in south-east London.

CEO of St Dunstan’s Group, Nick Hewlett said: “The whole group is delighted with St Christopher’s The Hall’s latest ISI report.

“To be awarded a significant strength is still rare within the prep sector and is an endorsement of the inspiring education Tom and his team provide for the children under their care.”

The inspectors praised the school’s inspiring curriculum, inclusive ethos, and vibrant co-curricular programme.

They also noted that pupils are supported as individuals, encouraged to aim high, and nurtured in a warm and ambitious environment.

The school has an established Early Years programme, with children starting from as young as 3, which was also praised in the report: “Teachers provide carefully planned activities for children in the Nursery and Reception classes. They have embedded an appropriate phonics programme and structured reading scheme to develop early literacy skills.”

Student towers deferred as one Greenwich councillor calls them ‘ugly’

and a ‘cash cow’

A decision on whether two highrise blocks of student accommodation by Deptford Creek will be built has been deferred after councillors voted for a site visit, writes Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter...

Greenwich Council’s Planning Board discussed the contentious plans — which garnered 294 letters of support and 251 objections—for nearly two-and-a-half hours on Tuesday evening, May 27.

Luxury student accommodation business YourTRIBE and development and investment company Redington Capital first applied for planning permission to demolish three low-rise residential buildings in Greenwich Quay and replace them with 20-storey and 15-storey student tower blocks in December 2023. These plans were reduced earlier this month, bringing the 20 storeys down to 17 and shrinking the number of beds from 700 to 598.

This reduction in part was because Maritime Greenwich had objected to the plans due to the height of the development and its potential visual effect on the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Maritime Greenwich withdrew its objection after the height of the tallest tower was reduced

Cllr Majella Anning, speaking on behalf of Greenwich Creekside ward where the development site is located, stated that the student provision in Creekside would increase to around 20 per cent of the ward’s total population if the proposal was approved.

She said: “I am in favour of the provision of student housing in my ward. What I object to is the scale of what is being proposed and the lack of a mixed housing offer, in particular social

housing for local Greenwich residents.”

Cllr Anning also likened the development to a “cash cow” and claimed that developers would pay a lower community infrastructure levy in Greenwich when compared to other London boroughs.

She also called the height of the buildings “completely inappropriate” and described them as looking “ugly”.

She added: “Student-only tower blocks do not offer any relief to the 28,000 people on our Greenwich Council [social housing] waiting list. These are blocks of temporary accommodation, by their very definition.”

Cllr Anning’s fellow Creekside ward Cllr Calum O’Byrne Mulligan also spoke in opposition to the proposal. He said: “I urge the committee to reject this application as the scale and mass of the buildings not in a tall building area go against existing council policy.

“I fear that this development risks the intangible strategic asset that we have in the world heritage site and jeopardises protected views, going against our local plan.”

Scott Fitzgerald of the Millennium Quay Residents Association (a residential development nearby the proposal site) said: “The public consultations held by YOURTribe have repeatedly failed to address reasonable concerns.”

The concerns he focused on were those of access to the site via Clarence Road which measures 3.5 metres wide, and fears that the site does not have adequate space if an evacuation was needed.

He said: “This development is about short-term economic gain, not longterm community diversity… It prioritises financial return over inclusive, sustainable living and would turn Greenwich Quay into a de facto student dormitory, not a diverse residential neighbourhood.”

Another Greenwich resident opposed to the plans, Charlotte Kiddie, said: “Who benefits from this proposal?

“Not those on the social housing register, not local residents, not London which risks losing one of only four UNESCO

sites, not Greenwich Council, unable to generate council tax, nor even the students who are being overcharged.

“The only party that benefits in this is the property developer.”

Phoebe Juggins, senior planning manager at YOURTribe, spoke in support of the application. She said: “We expect that through delivering 590 purposebuilt student accommodation units, we will free up the equivalent of 236 homes in Greenwich, and will importantly mean that students are living in a wellmanaged and supportive environment.

“We want this scheme to not only invest in the education of the next generation, but to the local area, delivering £7.3 million annually to the local economy, 43 full-time jobs plus over 500 construction jobs.”

Ms Juggins also responded to queries brought up by councillors and objectors, assuring that all the necessary hoops had been jumped through to ensure the development has a robust fire safety and evacuation strategy.

Planning committee member Cllr David Gardner asked what students would actually be able to afford this accommodation, calculating that other rent prices offered by YOURTribe in London exceed the maximum student loan for living costs.

YOURTribe director Nick Lawrence responded: “I think it’s a misnomer that all students are poor. We are having high demand for our accommodation, and in conjunction with the universities we set the rent.”

Cllr David Gardner proposed a site visit because he thought the committee needed to look at “the impact on the neighbouring development Millennium Quay”. This was seconded by Cllr Olu Babatola, who thought a site visit would help him assess the fire safety concerns raised at the meeting.

The committee voted for this site visit proposal, and a final decision on whether planning permission will be granted has been deferred until after a visit has been made.

An artist’s impression of the proposed development when viewed from the west side of the Greenwich Reach Swing Bridge. Credit: Citydesigner.

A Lewisham woman who was forced to sofa surf while heavily pregnant and gave birth without anywhere to live awarded more than £1,700 in compensation

Lewisham Council caused “significant injustice” to the woman after failing to provide her with emergency accommodation when she was homeless and heavily pregnant, writes Ruby Gregory, Local Democracy Reporter...

The woman, known as Ms X in a Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman report, was still homeless at the time of the ombudsman’s report and was sofa surfing with her newborn after giving birth in December 2024.

Will Cooper, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, Neighbourhoods and Homelessness at Lewisham Council, said: “We unreservedly apologise to the resident for our failures in this case. No one should have to endure such discomfort and uncertainty, particularly during pregnancy and after welcoming a newborn baby.”

The ombudsman found Lewisham Council was at fault for poor communication and said it took too long to accept the main housing duty, which it should have done 57 days after accepting the relief duty.

The council has agreed to apologise and provide Ms X with temporary accommodation, as well as pay her £1,750 in compensation and make improvements to its services. In summer 2024, Ms X approached the council, explaining she was pregnant and that her family told her she needed to move out by November 4.

In late July, the council met with Ms X to complete an assessment, and had accepted the prevention duty – intended to prevent her becoming homeless in the first place – and referred her to its private sector team to look for privately rented accommodation. Ms X contacted the council a few days later and said she was expecting a call from

her housing officer about next steps.

She was left concerned that the council was suggesting she move out of London, and was worried her salary would decrease if she moved out of inner London.

On November 4 at 3.30pm, which is the date Ms X was told she must move out of the family home by, she called the council and said no one had called her about her interim accommodation for that day, which is also known as temporary/ emergency accommodation. This type of accommodation is for people who are homeless, in priority need or in need of assistance while a local authority completes its inquiries into an individual’s homelessness application.

Ms X says the council called her just over 20 minutes later, confirming it would provide her with interim accommodation. At 5.30pm, the council told Ms X it had secured a property in the private sector which would end its duty to her. However, the private accommodation offer left Ms X confused.

She told the council: “…it was made clear to me by yourself that I would be receiving details of temporary accommodation while I await a bidding pack as yourself and [the officer] were able to see through my various affordability assessments, as my salary changes, I will no longer be able to afford the rent in a privately rented accommodation.”

Ms X emailed the council the following day and said she had sofa surfed the night before as she didn’t think the property would be affordable, however the council replied to say it had assessed the property as affordable. Ms X agreed to accept the offer and asked when she could view the property. Two days later on November 6, the private landlord withdrew the property offer – but no one told Ms X.

She chased the council twice and in December gave birth - she was now sofa surfing with her newborn. In late December, Ms X contacted the council again and said she had still not heard back from the council. Following the birth, Ms X was physically unable to attend property viewings.

Two months later, in January 2025, the council offered Ms X interim accommodation, which she accepted but explained she was concerned about not being able to afford it as she was now on maternity pay. The council advised Ms X to apply for housing benefit. Two days after the council offered the property, Ms X wrote to say she was physically unable to access the property because of the stairs and that her pram could not fit through the door and hallway even when she collapsed it.

She returned the keys to the council and said she would arrange her own accommodation until the council found her something more suitable. She also said she had not received a bidding number for the housing register. The council later said Ms X did not have a bidding number because it had not yet accepted the main housing duty.

‘Avoidable distress, frustration and uncertainty’

The ombudsman found several faults with the way the council handled and responded to Ms X’s case, including making no contact between July and mid-September 2024 – despite several requests for contact from Ms X. The council again failed to communicate with Ms X between early November and early January 2025, when she was homeless.

The ombudsman criticised the council for leaving Ms X without advice and support at a difficult time, causing her avoidable stress. The council also failed to tell Ms X how to apply for social housing during its July 2024 assessment and again when she followed up a few days later.

The council wrongly told her she could not apply for social housing until it owed her the main housing duty, which was a further fault. The ombudsman added: “The council’s failure to tell Ms X when

Cutty Sark DLR is now closed for a year

Cutty Sark DLR station is now closed for a year to allow four new escalators to be installed, writes Cameron Blackshaw, Local Democracy Reporter...

According to Greenwich Council, the four new state-of-the-art, energy efficient escalators will provide customers with “easier and more reliable access” to and from the station.

Cutty Sark DLR closed at the end of the day on Saturday, May 31, and will not reopen until next spring to allow the existing escalators—described

as “increasingly unreliable” and “beyond economical to repair”—to be replaced with new ones.

Greenwich Council has urged those who use the station to use nearby Greenwich station throughout the closure, or local bus services.

The council has installed additional street signage to direct customers between the Cutty Sark and Greenwich stations, which is a journey of around 11 minutes on foot.

A Greenwich Council spokesperson said: “We welcome the news of improvement works to Cutty Sark DLR station. The escalator replacement will ensure a fully accessible station for all users for many

years to come. In the meantime, there are many other ways to get to and from Greenwich including buses, mainline rail stations and riverboat services.

“Greenwich town centre is always open. We’re working closely with local businesses and our tourism partners to make sure the impact of the closure is as minimal as possible.

“As a UNESCO world heritage, millions of people come to Greenwich to visit its world-famous park, observatory and other attractions every year, so we’ll be exploring all the ways we can work with TfL and others to keep our town centre the vibrant, bustling corner of London that people know and love.”

the private rented offer fell through was fault. It was further fault not to tell Ms X in response to her repeated questions about it. This caused avoidable distress, frustration and uncertainty.

“The council’s failure to provide Ms X with interim accommodation on November 4 when she became homeless was fault. This fault continued until January 2025. As a result, Ms X had to sofa surf while heavily pregnant, gave birth without anywhere to live, and then continued to sofa surf with a newborn. This is a significant injustice to Ms X.”

In response to the investigation, Cllr Cooper said: “We have accepted the ombudsman’s recommendations in full and apologised directly for our errors and the stress we caused during what should have been a happy time.

“We have discussed the case extensively with staff in order to identify where we made mistakes and how we can avoid repeating them in the future.”

The council must accept the main housing duty and offer Ms X temporary accommodation.

It must also invite her to apply to the housing register and backdate her priority to July 2024.

Details of the compensation are listed below:

● £250 to recognise the council’s poor communication, inaccurate advice and missed statutory review rights.

● £600 for the two months Ms X spent sofa surfing because of the failure to offer interim accommodation.

● £900, being £300 for every month she has had to sofa surf when the council should have provided her with temporary accommodation under the main housing duty.

Cutty Sark DLR station sits in Greenwich town centre. Credit: Joe Coughlan

The big ideas for our local railway industry

Recently I’ve written some articles about the setting up of the Greenwich Railway - how it was built and some of the background. We know that our local railway with its great brick viaduct was the first in London and that it has stood for over 190 years. It was built by the London and Greenwich railway company and obviously they are now long gone. In fact they had a very short existence but they had a lot of big ideas – and I thought it might be worth looking at them.

In the 1820s an enormous number of railway projects were proposed around the country – and some were for railways in South London and Kent. A major concern was to get a railway through to the coast and the Greenwich Railway company had plans for this. I am very much relying here on the late Ron Thomas’s amazing and meticulous history of the London and Greenwich Railway, published in 1986.

Mary Mills

We all know - or think we know - some early railway history. For years horses had pulled wagons along railed paths or plateways. Once steam locomotives became available public railway services became more of a possibility. There were many proposals, and in 1824 one was for a railway from London to Dover. It was called the Kentish Railway and Ron Thomas described it in the first pages of his book.

The Kentish Railway’s prospectus came out in December 1824 and proposed a line from London to Dover via Deptford, Greenwich and Woolwich and then onwards to Canterbury and Dover. Early advertisements stressed the vast profits which could be made by using ‘locomotive machinery’. Henry Palmer, its engineer, wanted the line to start at Bricklayer’s Arms in the Old Kent Road. This route would have avoided Greenwich while passing through Lewisham, Lee Green and Eltham. However it was also planned to add a branch somewhere near the Brookmill Water Works and that would go to Greenwich. In 1826 a Parliamentary Committee was set up to look at the project but no more progress was made.

In an earlier article I described the first meeting of the London and Greenwich Railway Company, which was set up by George Landman and George Walter in October 1831 and these meetings continued along with development work. Once the construction of the Greenwich Railway became a reality their thoughts turned to how it could be extended. In 1833 George Walter had plans to set up a London and Gravesend Railway Company, with George Landmann as engineer, and a year later, in 1834, he added plans to extend this to Folkestone as the New Kent Railway.

In early 1835 it was decided to advertise this London and Gravesend Railway project. An offer was made to potential investors to send for a chart showing what was proposed and also a large print showing an intended viaduct across Greenwich Park. This was sold in local shops and was said to originate with George Smith the company’s architect. Smith, who also worked for Morden College and for the Mercer’s Company, contributed many of the buildings we see in Greenwich today - but the Greenwich Park Viaduct is not one of them. It is said that a representative of the Admiralty arranged for all copies of the print to be destroyed - presumably working on behalf of Greenwich Hospital. It would also seem to be a good way of stoking opposition to the railway in Greenwich.

On 8th March a meeting was held in Woolwich of ‘Gentlemen opposed to the London and Gravesend Railway’. Participants thanked lawyers who had been working on objections to this scheme. A few weeks later a public meeting was held in Woolwich to discuss the scheme. George Landmann was present and answered many questions from the audience. Some queries were about investments, some about the work itself in Woolwich, land purchase and much else. Doubts about the scheme were expressed in the audience but there was not

complete outright opposition .

Meanwhile support came in an article about this plan by John Herapath in his Railway Journal “to avoid the inconvenient circuitous route, it shall be carried by means of a handsome viaduct, straight across Greenwich Park. There is some opposition ... of the viaduct’s being likely to mar the beauty of the park... but It will obviously increase rather than detract from the picturesqueness of the scenery”. Of course, there is nothing like a railway line running through a park to make the scenery better. While some rail enthusiasts might agree, it seems many others did not.

The Parliamentary enabling bill was lost at its Second Reading having been opposed by John Angerstein, then newly elected as MP for Greenwich. He objected on the grounds that there were plenty of steamboats and why did anybody want to build a railway, which would fail because of competition from them. Landmann arranged for experimental borings to see if a tunnel under the Park was possible and also vibration tests which were done on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. In October the company was relaunched it as the Greenwich and Gravesend Railway. They also launched plans for a London and Dover Railway which was to go

to Dover via Ashford and Maidstone with a branch to Canterbury. However it also appeared that the rival South Eastern Railway had issued a prospectus for a similar route to Dover.

In early 1836 Professor Airey, the Astronomer Royal, said there was no problem with the railway going through the Park –the objections were from the Admiralty. The Railway Company said that it would place niches at stated intervals between the piers of the proposed viaduct “wherein are to be placed busts of our most celebrated bygone Admirals leaving vacant ones for the reception of future naval heroes ... the whole to be surmounted by a colossal statue of his present Majesty in full Naval costume’. This had no effect on the views of the Admiralty although the local papers made fun with satirical comments about it.

The Greenwich and Gravesend Railway Bill had its first Parliamentary reading in February 1836 and there was the usual flood of objections. It was decided to postpone the Second Reading which essentially threw the bill out. Meanwhile the Greenwich Railway directors opposed the South Eastern Railways new Bill for as line to Dover, but a month later they amalgamated their plans with South Eastern as the Kent Railway.

Meanwhile more opposition to the scheme was being organised in Greenwich. Ron Thomas described in great detail subsequent events in

Greenwich with the opening of the Greenwich Railway itself and questions over the fraudulent means by which shares had been raised – and I’ll get to all that in a future article.

Attempts to get a railway out of Greenwich and through to Gravesend and the coast had effectively failed. Most history books will tell you that this was because of objections to the park viaduct from the Astronomer Royal. However Ron Thomas – with more detailed research - summed it up differently - “opposition to the railway did not come from the Observatory ...but from the Admiralty and the vicar and churchwardens of Greenwich”.

At the same time as this project to extend the railway beyond Greenwich was going on the Greenwich Company directors were involved in another one scheme, which Ron Thomas hardly mentioned except in one short paragraph. It has most recently been described in some detail in the Ship Wrights’ Palace blog. I have included details of it in articles and in my book on the Greenwich Riverside, and it concerns the project at Upper Watergate and Payne’s Wharf.

In 1835 a group of individuals associated with the London and Greenwich Railway promoted an Act of Parliament for a ‘Deptford Pier’ at Upper Watergate. We can be sure this is the correct site since the site runs from ‘the boundary wall of His Majesty’s dockyard’. This had been

preceded by a prospectus for an elaborate and extensive area of grand buildings and promise of economic regeneration. This included plans for the ’Deptford Pier Junction Railway’.

The promoters took over the wharf by compulsory purchase; an Act of Parliament was obtained in 1836 and the site was sold to them. The idea was for passengers to go by rail to the new pier and there get a boat. This may also have included construction of the, now listed, arcading along the riverfront. This had been attributed to Penns but is now thought to be either by George Landmann, engineer to the London and Greenwich Railway, or by Lewis Cubitt who also had Deptford interests. Plans were also made for a steam ferry service but the project had collapsed by the early 1840s, following court cases and with debts of £25,000. It was abandoned by 1846. A new Act of Parliament allowed the pier to be demolished and new watermen’s stairs installed.

These were massive schemes and had they gone through would have made the fortunes and fame of the promoters.The Deptford Wharf scheme was to have been a huge regeneration project with a riverside railway terminal, associated buildings and what was effectively a new port.

This would have been associated with a major railway line going to Dover and other another towns in Kent. None of it happened.

 The foreshore had upper water grade where remains of Payne’s Wharf is thought to be arcading for a station. some of the debris on the foreshore is thought to be remains of a pier structure

 panorama of present Greenwich Park where railway line would have run if it had been allowed

 Cover of Ron Thomas’s history of the London Greenwich Railway

 Locomotive from the Greenwich line named after George Walter

Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 NOTICE UNDER ARTICLE 13 OF APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMISSION

Notice 2. Proposed development at: Ground floor and lower ground floor premises, 138-152 Powis Street, Woolwich, London SE18 6LR Take notice that application is being made by Mr Rosario Rizzo of Lancastrian Development Ltd for planning permission to: Change of use of ground floor and lower ground floor premises from approved use class A1 to use class E. Local Planning Authority to whom the application is being submitted: The Royal Borough of Greenwich.

Address: The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, Woolwich, London SE18 6HQ Any owner of the land or tenant who wishes to make representations about this application, should write to the council within 21 days of the date of this notice.

Date: 09-06-2025

Statement of owners' rights: The grant of planning permission does not affect owners' rights to retain or dispose of their property, unless there is some provision to the contrary in an agreement or lease. Statement of agricultural tenants' rights: The grant of planning permission for nonagricultural development may affect agricultural tenants' security of tenure. 'Owner' means a person having a freehold interest or a leasehold interest the unexpired term of which is not less than seven years. 'Tenant' means a tenant of an agricultural holding any part of which is comprised in the land. This notice is for publication in a local newspaper.

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) TUNNEL AVENUE PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Thames Water who need to rebuild a manhole chamber.

2. The Order will come into operation on 23rd June 2025 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However, the works are expected to take 15 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, exiting, proceeding, or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading) in Tunnel Avenue outside 46.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via the placing of the appropriate signage. Prohibitions remain in force; pedestrians are not affected, and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Ryan Nibbs Assistant Director, Transport.

The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated: 12/05/2025

INTERNAL REF - EM/ LA482385 FN776 /LIC No 73589

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) WOOLWICH ROAD PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Network Rail who need to carry out examination works at the rail over road bridge.

2. The Order will come into operation on 26th June 2025 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However, the works are expected to take 1 night (26/06/2025 22:00 – 27/06/2025 06:00). The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Ryan Nibbs Assistant Director, Transport. The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated: 05/03/2025

INTERNAL REF - EM/ LA484291 FN758 /LIC No 73033

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) HOSKINS STREET PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Southern Gas Networks who need to carry out maintenance on valve regulators.

2. The Order will come into operation on 24th June 2025 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However, the works are expected to take 3 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, proceeding, or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading), in Hoskins Street at the junction of Trenchard Street. Additionally, one-way restrictions will be imposed on Trenchard Street prohibiting vehicular entry from the junction with Greenwich Park Street.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation no traffic diversion is required as this is a dead-end road. Prohibitions remain in force; pedestrians are not affected, and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Ryan Nibbs Assistant Director, Transport.

The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated: 02/05/2025

INTERNAL REF - EM/ LA485565 FN769 /LIC No 73530

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) VANBRUGH PARK PLANNED PARKING RESTRICTIONS (ORDER)

2. The Order will come into operation on 23rd June 2025 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However, the works are expected to take 1 month. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from parking or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading), in Vanbrugh Park from the junction of Westcombe Hill to outside 18 and from outside 79 to the junction of St Johns Park.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will not need to be diverted. Prohibitions remain in force; pedestrians are not affected, and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Ryan Nibbs Assistant Director, Transport. The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated :30/05/2025

INTERNAL REF - EM/ LA484171 FN789 /LIC No 73758

ROYAL BOROUGH OF GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS – KIDBROOKE PARK ROAD

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the Royal Borough of Greenwich has made an Order for public safety reasons due to obstructive parking under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

2. The effect of the Order will be to temporarily:

(a) Prohibit loading at any time on Kidbrooke Park Road fronting Nos. 171-185, north side, from its junction with Kidbrooke Park Road to a point 2.6 metres west of the eastern property boundary of No. 171 Kidbrooke Park Road.

(b) Prohibit loading at any time on Kidbrooke Park Road fronting Nos. 171-185, south side, from its junction with Kidbrooke Park Road for 10 metres in an easterly direction.

(c) Prohibit loading at any time on Kidbrooke Park Road fronting Nos. 203-225, north side, from its junction with Kidbrooke Park Road for 10 metres in an easterly direction.

(d) Prohibit loading at any time on Kidbrooke Park Road fronting Nos. 203-225, south side, from its junction with Kidbrooke Park Road to a point 2.8 metres west of the common boundary of Nos. 219 and 221 Kidbrooke Park Road.

(e) Prohibit loading at any time on Kidbrooke Park Road at the following locations:

(i) East side, from the southern property boundary of No. 165 Kidbrooke Park Road to the common boundary of Nos. 187 and 189 Kidbrooke Park Road.

(ii) East side, from a point 2 metres north of the northern property boundary of No. 201 Kidbrooke Park Road to a point 1.5 metres north of the common boundary of Nos. 227 and 229 Kidbrooke Park Road.

(f) Replace the following restrictions with a prohibition of waiting at any time:

(i) Resident & Business Permit Holders Only Mon-Fri 10.30am-12.30pm Zone KN permit zone on Kidbrooke Park Road fronting Nos. 171-185, north side, from a point 10 metres east of its junction with Kidbrooke Park Road to a point 2.6 metres west of the eastern property boundary of No. 171 Kidbrooke Park Road.

(ii) Resident & Business Permit Holders Only Mon-Fri 10.30am-12.30pm Zone KN permit zone on Kidbrooke Park Road fronting Nos. 203225, south side, from a point 10 metres east of its junction with Kidbrooke Park Road to a point 2.8 metres west of the common boundary of Nos. 219 and 221 Kidbrooke Park Road.

(iii) No Waiting Mon-Fri 10.30am-12.30pm on Kidbrooke Park Road, east side, from the common boundary of Nos. 187 and 189 Kidbrooke Park Road for 2.6 metres in a northerly direction.

(iv) No Waiting Mon-Sat 9am-6.30pm on Kidbrooke Park Road, east side, from the southern property boundary of No. 165 Kidbrooke Park Road to the common boundary of Nos. 167 and 169 Kidbrooke Park Road.

(v) No Waiting Mon-Fri 10.30am-12.30pm on Kidbrooke Park Road, east side, from a point 2 metres north of the northern property boundary of No. 201 Kidbrooke Park Road for 5 metres in a southerly direction.

(vi) No Waiting Mon-Fri 10.30am-12.30pm on Kidbrooke Park Road, east side, from a point 1.5 metres north of the common boundary of Nos. 227 and 229 Kidbrooke Park Road for 1.4 metres in a northerly direction.

3. The above prohibitions will only apply to such times and such extent as shall be indicated by the appropriate road markings, traffic signs and traffic management measures.

4. The Order would come into force on Thursday 12th June 2025 and would continue in force for up to 18 months, or until the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner and may be re-introduced should further works be required.

5. Queries concerning these works should be directed to parking-design@royalgreenwich.gov.uk quoting reference 06-25 Kidbrooke Park Road.

Assistant Director, Transport, Communities, Environment and Central, Royal Borough of Greenwich

Dated 11th June 2025

ROYAL BOROUGH OF GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) TEMPORARY FOOTPATH CLOSURE – PLUMSTEAD ROAD

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make an Order to facilitate the construction of Plumstead Regeneration and Improvement Project under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

2. The effect of the Order will be to temporarily Prohibit pedestrians:

(a) On Plumstead Road north side footpath, from the western entrance to the tunnel under the northern junction of Pettman Crescent in a westerly direction for 60 metres.

(b) From the western entrance to the tunnel under the northern junction of Pettman Crescent, along the Plumstead Road north side footpath, to the eastern entrance to the tunnel under the southern junction of Pettman Crescent.

(c) On Plumstead High Street footpath link to the tunnel under Pettman Crescent, north side, from the eastern entrance to the tunnel under the southern junction of Pettman Crescent to its junction with Plumstead High Street north side footpath.

(d) On Pettman Crescent footpath link to the tunnel under Pettman Crescent, east side, from the eastern entrance to the tunnel under the southern junction of Pettman Crescent to its junction with Nathan Way.

(e) On The Ridgeway northern section, from the eastern entrance to the tunnel under the southern junction of Pettman Crescent to its junction with Nathan Way to the east of Shurgard Self Storage.

(f) On The Ridgeway southern section, from Old Coal Yard to its junction with the Ridgeway northern section approximately 138.5 metres north-east of Shurgard Self Storage.

3. Whilst the Order is in operation pedestrians will be diverted via the footpaths on:

(a) the Ridgeway northern section, Nathan Way, Pettman Crescent, Plumstead High Street and Vice Versa.

(b) Plumstead Road north side, across the traffic island at the northern junction of Pettman Crescent and Plumstead Road, Plumstead Road south side and Vice Versa.

4. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to persons in connection with the works.

5. The above prohibitions will only apply to such times and such extent as shall be indicated by the appropriate traffic signs and traffic management measures.

6. Whilst the closures are in operation, pedestrian access to properties affected by these works would be maintained wherever possible subject to the extent and operations of the works.

7. The Order would come into force on Monday 23rd June 2025 and would continue in force for up to 18 months, or until the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner and may be re-introduced should further works be required.

8. Queries concerning these works should be directed to ben.murphy@royalgreenwich.gov.uk quoting reference 06-25 Plumstead Road.

Assistant Director, Transport, Communities, Environment and Central, Royal Borough of Greenwich

Dated 11th June 2025

Royal Borough of Greenwich

Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (AS AMENDED)

Town & Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (AS AMENDED)

Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 (AS AMENDED)

Town & Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2007 (AS AMENDED)

Notice is hereby given that application(s) have been made to The Royal Borough of Greenwich in respect of the under mentioned premises/sites. You can see the submissions and any plans at http://www. royalgreenwich.gov.uk/planning.

If development proposals affect Conservation Areas and/or Statutorily Listed Buildings under the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Area) Act 1990 (As Amended) this will be shown within the item below. Anyone who wishes to comment on these applications should be made in writing to Development Planning within 21 days of the date of this notice.

Please quote the appropriate reference number.

Date: 11/06/2025

Victoria Geoghegan

Assistant Director - Planning and Building Control

List of Press Advertisements - 11/06/2025

Publicity for Planning Applications

Applicant: Mr Ronald Davies Red Banksia 24/2027/F

Site Address: Land to the rear of 41-45 BLACKHEATH ROAD, GREENWICH, LONDON, SE10 8PE

Development: Development of the site to provide a pair of semi detached homes. (Re-consultation - Amended Plans and Landscaping)

Conservation Area: ASHBURNHAM TRIANGLE

Applicant: . University of Greenwich 25/1273/F

Site Address: Southwood Site, University of Greenwich, Avery Hill Road, London, SE9 2UG

Development: Retention of the temporary critical care training unit building (previously granted under LPA reference numbers 22/0304/F) until July 2032, together with other works incidental to the development.

(THIS IS A DEPARTURE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN).

Conservation Area: Not Applicable

Applicant: Mr Christof Edel

25/1341/HD

Site Address: TARN LODGE, 133 COURT ROAD, LONDON, SE9 5AQ

Development: Demolition of existing single storey rear extension and construction of single storey rear extension with associated works.

Conservation Area: ELTHAM PALACE

Applicant: Mr Daniel Peretz

25/1349/F

Site Address: 73 ROYDENE ROAD, PLUMSTEAD, LONDON, SE18 1PZ

Development: Construction of single storey rear extension, side and rear infill extension and L-Shaped rear dormer extension to facilitate the change of use of a single family dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) to a six bedroom HMO with a maximum capacity of six persons (Use Class C4) with associated refuse storage and cycle parking.

25/1370/F

Applicant: The Hyde Group

Site Address: 103 GRANBY ROAD, ELTHAM, LONDON, SE9 1EJ

Development: Replacement of front door with like-for-like unit and all associated works.

Conservation Area: PROGRESS ESTATE

Applicant: L&Q

Site Address: 3 and 5 Stratheden Road SE3 7TR

25/1409/F

Development: Replacement of the existing double glazed uPVC windows with new uPVC double glazed units. Replacement of the Entrance Door to number 3 with a new composite door, matching the existing door fenestration at number 5. Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH

Applicant: Mrs MALHOTRA 25/1417/F

Site Address: The Observatory Building, Green Hill, Off Repository Road, Woolwich, SE18 4BN

Development: Change of use from a vacant secure residential institution (Use Class C2A) to a registered children's nursery (Use Class E(f)), including internal alterations and all other associated works

Conservation Area: WOOLWICH COMMON

Applicant: L. Story 25/1439/HD

Site Address: 1C COLERAINE ROAD, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 7PF

Development: Conversion of garage into habitable space with new window to front elevation. construction of a single storey ground floor rear extension and part first floor extension with balcony and all associated works.

Conservation Area: WESTCOMBE PARK

Applicant: L&Q

25/1462/F

Site Address: 72 PLUMSTEAD COMMON ROAD, SE18 3RD

Development: Replacement of existing timber-framed sash windows with timber double-glazed sash windows, replacement of entrance doors with new timber doors, replacement of existing roof coverings with new slate roof coverings and installation of rooflights (Revised Description)

Conservation Area: PLUMSTEAD COMMON

Applicant: Tesco Stores Ltd 25/1518/F

Site Address: 304-308 CREEK ROAD, DEPTFORD, LONDON, SE10 9SW

Development: Amalgamation of existing two ground floor commercial units into a singular unit, to create a single Use Class E(a) commercial unit (Resubmission)

Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH

Applicant: Asda Stores Limited

25/1520/MA

Site Address: 123 GREENWICH SOUTH STREET, LONDON, SE10 8NX

Development: An application submitted under Section 73 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 for a minor material amendment in connection with planning permission dated 06/10/2021, ref: 21/1884/MA for "An application submitted under Section 73 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 for a minor material amendment in connection with planning permission dated 16/03/2021 Ref: 20/3856/F for Construction of nine flats (comprising 1 x studio, 5 x 1-bed, 2 x 2-bed and 1 x 3-bed) over retail unit (with ancillary basement), in two/three storeys, with parking to rear and vehicular access off Lindsell street. Amendment to Planning Permission 17/1914/F (as further amended by 0/1360/MA)." to allow: - Variation of Condition 2 (Approved Drawings), - Installation of 3 louvred vents on the rear elevation of the store at ground floor level; - Infill of the approved window on the rear elevation with brick to match the approved materials; - Replacement of the approved metal fenced enclosure to the plant area with a timber hit-and-miss fence; and - Correction to ground floor retail space annotated on drawings. (Amended description) to allow:

- Amendment to Condition 17 (Hours of Operations and Deliveries), relating to both hours of opening and hours of deliveries/servicing.

Conservation Area:

Applicant: Asda Stores Limited 25/1522/MA

Site Address: 123 GREENWICH SOUTH STREET, LONDON, SE10 8NX

Development: An application submitted under Section 73 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 for a minor material amendment in connection with planning permission dated 06/10/2021, ref: 21/1884/MA for "An application submitted under Section 73 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 for a minor material amendment in connection with planning permission dated 16/03/2021 Ref: 20/3856/F for Construction of nine flats (comprising 1 x studio, 5 x 1-bed, 2 x 2-bed and 1 x 3-bed) over retail unit (with ancillary basement), in two/three storeys, with parking to rear and vehicular access off Lindsell street. Amendment to Planning Permission 17/1914/F (as further amended by 20/1360/MA)." to allow: - Variation of Condition 2 (Approved Drawings), - Installation of 3 louvred vents on the rear elevation of the store at ground floor level; - Infill of the approved window on the rear elevation with brick to match the approved materials; - Replacement of the approved metal fenced enclosure to the plant area with a timber hit-and-miss fence; and - Correction to ground floor retail space annotated on drawings. (Amended description) to allow:

- Amendment to Condition 17 (Hours of Operations and Deliveries), relating to hours of opening.

Applicant: c/o Agent 25/1562/SD

Site Address: ROYAL PARKS, GREENWICH PARK, BLACKHEATH AVENUE, GREENWICH

Development: Submission of details pursuant to the partial discharge of Condition 4 (Plant & Machinery - Wolfe Statue Kiosks) of planning permission 19/4305/F dated 24/02/2022.

Conservation Area: GREENWICH PARK

Applicant: Mr Wheatley

25/1576/HD

Site Address: 4 ULUNDI ROAD, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 7UG

Development: Demolition of ground floor rear elevation including removal of doors. Replacement brick facade and new doors. New roof-light to existing single storey roof extension at ground floor. Construction of new hard landscaping and timber screening to neighbouring properties.

Conservation Area: WESTCOMBE PARK

Applicant: Matt & Caitlin Emery & Leadam

25/1601/HD

Site Address: 3 Cleveland Terrace, Hadrian Street, London, SE10 9BS

Development: Replacement of existing rear door and window with bi-fold door and associated works.

Conservation Area: EAST GREENWICH

Applicant: R. Coulby

25/1622/HD

Site Address: 61 LANGTON WAY, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 7TJ

Development: Reduction in the size of the existing rear outbuilding and construction of a ground floor rear extension, implementation of a loft conversion with a new rear dormer and new side dormer windows, new front rooflights, altered side window and associated external alterations.

Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH

Applicant: The Hyde Group 25/1639/F

Site Address: 1A FLETCHING ROAD, SE7 8UH, CHARLTON

Development: Replacement of existing windows and garden doors with double glazed uPVC windows, replacement of external entrance doors with composite doors, replacement of existing communal staircase windows and doors with dark brown powder coated aluminium double-glazed windows and doors

Conservation Area: CHARLTON VILLAGE

Applicant: Mrs Ann Miller The Hyde Group 25/1668/HD

Site Address: 24 MAUDSLAY ROAD, ELTHAM, LONDON, SE9 1LJ

Development: Replace existing upvc windows to front, side and rear elevations with new upvc windows, including leaded external strips to windows to meet Progress Estate Article 4 guidelines regarding patterns. All windows to match existing sizes. (All Existing doors to remain) [Re-submission]

Conservation Area: PROGRESS ESTATE

Applicant: Ms S Nyga 25/1676/HD

Site Address: 63 MEREWORTH DRIVE, PLUMSTEAD, LONDON, SE18 3ED

Development: Demolition and construction of a new garage. Demolition of a rear conservatory and construction of a single storey rear extension. Extension of lower ground floor and adjustment to garden levels. Existing ground floor rear side elevation terrace to be recreated over the proposed lower ground extension. Existing rear terrace steps to be removed and rear terrace modified to match No.61 and associated works.

Conservation Area: SHREWSBURY PARK ESTATE

Applicant: Mr Daniel Peretz 25/1693/F

Site Address: 58 ST MARGARETS TERRACE, LONDON, SE18 7RN

Development: Change of use from an existing dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) to a 7-bed, 7-person HMO (Use Class Sui Generis), in addition to the construction of two rear dormers, loft conversion, front rooflights, provision of refuse and cycle storage and all other associated alterations

Conservation Area: adjacent to Plumstead Common

Applicant: Mr & Mrs Taylor 25/1725/HD

Site Address: 62 PRINCE RUPERT ROAD, LONDON, SE9 1LA

Development: Demolition of existing side conservatory replaced with single storey side and rear extension

Conservation Area: PROGRESS ESTATE

Applicant: Ms Svetli Hughes

25/1730/HD

Site Address: 25 POINT HILL, GREENWICH, LONDON, SE10 8QW

Development: Demolition of the existing conservatory to be replaced with one-storey rear extension and construction of part one/part two-storey side extension with internal alterations.

Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH

Applicant: Engin Evrenos 25/1744/HD

Site Address: 37 MYCENAE ROAD, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 7SF

Development: Construction of single storey rear infill extension and single storey side extension, installation of dormer and two rooflights to the front roof slope, loft conversion and associated works.

Conservation Area: WESTCOMBE PARK

Applicant: PD Assets Ltd

25/1754/PN2

Site Address: 21 BURNEY STREET, LONDON, SE10 8EX

Development: Prior Approval is sought to change of use of ground floor unit (Class E) to 1x 2-bed flat (Class C3).

Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH

Publicity for Listed Building Consent

Applicant: Mrs MALHOTRA Super Start 3 Limited 25/1216/L

Site Address: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, LAND TO THE REAR OF 1 TO 36, GREENHILL

Development: Change of use of the property to be used as a registered children's nursery, undertake minor internal alteration to the layout for the proposed use and refurbish the asset.

Listed Building: Grade 2

Applicant: Mr R Scott 25/1351/L

Site Address: 1 WESTGROVE LANE, LONDON, SE10 8QP

Development: Recombination of existing basement and ground floor flats so as to return these flats a single residential unit (Use Class C3) including alterations to internal walls and staircases and associated internal and external alterations [this application impacts the Grade 2 listed "1 WESTGROVE LANE"]

Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH

Listed Building: Grade 2

Applicant: c/o Agent 25/1560/L

Site Address: ROYAL PARKS, GREENWICH PARK, BLACKHEATH AVENUE, GREENWICH, SE10

Development: Replacement regulatory signage on the boundary wall and gates surrounding Greenwich Park.

Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH

Listed Building: Grade 2

Applicant: Boparan Restaurant Group 25/1615/L

Site Address: SLIM CHICKENS, 45 GREENWICH CHURCH STREET, LONDON, SE10 9BL

Development: Retrospective application for various internal alterations.

Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH

Listed Building: Grade 2

Publicity for Advertisements

Applicant: Pasta Evangelists 25/1441/A

Site Address: 44-46 GREENWICH CHURCH STREET, GREENWICH, LONDON, SE10 9BL

Development: Installation of 2 x Fascia Signage with Sign written Logo and 1 x Projecting Sign.

Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH

Applicant: Ms Abbie Bannerman CO-OP 25/1757/A

Site Address: THE CO-OPERATIVE FOOD, 19-23 THE VILLAGE, CHARLTON, LONDON, SE7 8UG

Development: Installation of a digital display screen positioned inside the store advertising deals and produce.

Conservation Area: CHARLTON VILLAGE

500 more kitchens and bathrooms installed as part of our biggest investment yet

Another major milestone has been reached in our £430 million housing programme as further 500 new kitchens and bathrooms have been installed as part of Housing Our Greenwich.

Through Housing Our Greenwich, our widescale housing programme to build, buy and improve council homes, we’ve set aside £50m to make homes warmer, greener and cheaper for our tenants.

To date this means our biggest council housing investment programme in a generation has completed 1,500 kitchen and bathroom installations across Royal Greenwich since launching last year.

Council tenant Graham Edwards has lived in his Woolwich home for 18 years.

He said: “When residents see the council upgrading their existing stock, it reassures the local population that the council are active in encouraging a better environment and investment in the local people, because at the end of the day, it's the people that are the most valuable asset of the borough.

“My new kitchen is great – the contractors took into consideration my disability issues and I was directly involved in the process as I was able to see and envisage the end product which I found really reassuring. Overall, I was really impressed, and the end product speaks for itself – I'm over the moon with it.”

This latest 500th kitchen installation was delivered by Amber Construction Services who are contracted to make improvements in the east and central areas of the borough, which include Abbey Wood, Plumstead and Woolwich. They presented Mr Edwards with a food and drink hamper.

In April, we marked the 1,000th kitchen installation in the south and west of the borough with our contractor Mulalley who cover areas including Blackheath, Charlton, Greenwich and Eltham.

Read more: royalgreenwich. gov.uk/500th-milestone