Plans to rebuild flood defences in Greenwich labelled ‘pathetic’

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to rebuild flood defences along a stretch of the Thames have been called “pathetic” and “nonsense” by residents.

Greenwich Limited has sent plans to repair flood defences at Morden Wharf to Greenwich council, after planning officers said the current defences in the area were in “very poor condition and at risk of failure”.

The plans, which include adjustments to the nearby Thames Path, were discussed at a planning meeting for Greenwich Council on Tuesday.

Council officers said the changes would widen the path by approximately 60 per cent.

However, residents at the meeting said they were concerned about the change given a narrow pinch point on the path and blind spot that would not be fixed by the plans.

Sheila Keeble, speaking on behalf of the Greenwich Society, said at the meeting: “Frankly, this is pathetic. A chance to make substantive improvements to a national trail, with thousands of users each year, absolutely thrown away.

“In fact, it’s going to make matters much worse for pedestrians and cyclists, and wheelchair users and people with pushchairs.”

A council officer at the meeting said changes to the Thames Path at this section would need to be agreed on by the council’s highways committee.

When asked if there was an option to widen the Thames Path further, Dr Malcolm Hockaday, planning director for the U+I Group, said on behalf of Greenwich Limited that he would discuss the option with the Port of London Authority.

Dr Hockaday said the Environment Agency told him the plans for the waste centre could not be approved until the flood defences had been agreed on.

The decision on the new flood defences and changes to the Thames Path was deferred for two months by the planning board, at the request of Dr Hockaday.

Greenwich councillor David Gardener said: “I think there is an opportunity to come back with a revised and improved [plan] that meets the points in terms of tree cover and in terms of that particular pinch point to make it easier for people with wheelchairs and other users to pass.”

Pictured top: The current site where the river wall updates are planned for at Morden Wharf, Greenwich (Picture: Museum of London)