Plans for 700 new homes in Woolwich one step closer after developer site purchase confirmed

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for 700 new flats have moved forward, with the homes being delivered in a series of blocks up to 16 storeys-tall. The scheme would provide the new homes on the site in front of and behind the Tesco Extra store in Woolwich town centre.

Developer London Square announced at the end of last month that it had acquired the site from Meyer Homes to carry out the next two phases of its masterplan. The scheme seeks to deliver 700 homes, 50 per cent of which the developers claimed would be ‘affordable’, across the land along Thomas Street and South Circular Road.

Space for shops would also included in the scheme, alongside green areas and a new public square. The flats would be spread across four blocks for private sale, as well as five blocks being reserved for affordable homes. The overall number of homes in the scheme has also been reduced from 712 to 700.

Planning documents from Formation Architects, on behalf of London Square, showed details of changes including studio apartments being removed from one of the blocks, with two buildings being designated for social rent and three others being reserved for shared ownership.

The project was initially approved by Greenwich council in September 2022 before being revised to comply with updates to fire safety regulations.

Previous iterations of the scheme included a 27 storey-tall tower block being put forward by developers, which was rejected by the authority’s planning committee in 2018 for being ‘unacceptably dominating and overbearing’ when noted alongside General Gordon Square. A London Square spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that work on the site for the current project was due to begin next year to be completed in 2028.

Adam Lawrence, chief executive officer at London Square, said in a statement: “This latest acquisition reflects London Square’s commitment to playing a key role in helping to alleviate the continued housing shortage in Greater London.

“We are investing in sites in well-connected locations to build significant numbers of well-designed affordable and private homes to appeal to those who want to work and live in the capital. The delivery of this Woolwich scheme will help to revitalise the high street area for the local community and businesses.”