Plans for new Lewisham town centre, with green meadows and public art, to be unveiled

Plans for a new town centre with affordable homes, meadows and public art will be unveiled this weekend.

The plans to create a new green, cultural centre in Lewisham have been put together by development company Landsec – which owns Lewisham Shopping Centre – alongside 16 residents from the area who have been working with designers on the project for the past year.

The plans will see a green meadow the size of a football pitch, with a variety of tree species, positioned above the shopping centre, which would be revamped. 

There will also be community spaces, a performance hub and event squares within the completely pedestrianised area, with cycle and walking routes throughout.

Around the meadow will be a new high street, filled with small businesses, cafés and restaurants open during the day and into the evening. 

Developers have said the 1,700 new homes will include affordable housing and accommodation for front line service workers, as well as shared living and student homes.

The surrounding area is also set for improvements. The existing high street will get a new lease of life, with historic buildings like the one formerly occupied by Woolworths retained and restored.

Developers have assured that many existing retail spaces, including the market, will be retained.

The plan is set to be unveiled at the new exhibition space, No.25, in Lewisham Shopping Centre, Molesworth Street, Lewisham, with a collection of drawings and explainers, this weekend.

After the weekend, the exhibition space will be open at regular intervals for drop-ins and dedicated events with community groups. Members of the design team will be on hand to answer questions.

After the unveiling, a six-month consultation period for the project will begin.

Jon Watson, Development Director for LandsecU+, the regeneration arm of Landsec, said: “We understand the responsibility that comes with reshaping a significant part of Lewisham town centre. 

“That’s why we’re working with the community to ensure that everything we do here is well supported, authentic and feels like it belongs in Lewisham.

“The local community made it clear to us that they didn’t want only a shopping centre or only a park, they wanted both. So we’ve done this in the only way possible – by creating a beautiful park on top of a shopping centre. 

“We can’t wait to see what people think.”

Pictured top: An artist’s interpretation of the new entrance to the shopping centre, with stairs to the left leading to the new public park (Picture: Pixelflakes & Studio Egret West)