Community Conference Report 2019 Speak Out Community Conference 2019

Contents

Foreword Page 1

Context Page 2

Introduction to conference Page 3

The Future of Woolwich - views from the community Page 4

1. Community buildings and open spaces Page 5 2. Local heritage and architecture Page 11 3. Leisure, arts and culture Page 13 4. Movement, transport and pollution Page 15 5. Housing for local people Page 18 6. Retail shops, business and jobs Page 19 7. Children, young people, older people & families, health & education Page 20 8. The council’s engagement with the community Page 21

Evaluation of conference Page 23

Thanks and credits Page 24

Appendices A. Speak Out Woolwich Aims Page 25 B. Speak Out Woolwich response to Concept Masterplan Page 26 C. Speak Out Woolwich response to new Conservation Area Page 31

Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

Foreword

On Saturday 2 February, more than 120 people gathered at a community conference organised by Speak Out Woolwich at the Bathway Theatre in Woolwich. The event attracted a wide range of people, including representatives of a number of local groups. We discussed the council’s proposed Masterplan or strategy for Woolwich town centre, and the community’s wider hopes and aspirations for Woolwich. Local residents were listened to. We held eight discussion groups. Notes were taken at each and after the conference we invited residents to send in additional comments by email. These views make up the body of this report and, where possible, we have expressed them verbatim. The views expressed were passionate and varied, some contradicting each other, but many also in agreement. This is bound to happen in any genuine reflection of a community’s opinions and we have not discriminated in favour of any particular view. This is our first report, but not the last word. Speak Out Woolwich started small, but we are getting bigger. This conference has helped us to grow and has given us many useful new links with local people and groups. We have not provided an executive summary of this report since, shortly after the conference, we submitted formal responses to the council’s consultation on both the “Concept Masterplan” and the proposed new Woolwich Conservation Area. Our formal response to the Concept Masterplan summarises the main messages to the council from the conference. It is in Appendix B (see page 26). Our formal response to the consultation on the Conservation Area is in Appendix C (see page 31). But we would encourage you, if you want to get the full flavour of local views, to read the main body of this report. It is a testament to the wealth of knowledge there is in the community. We also hope it captures some of the spirit of the conference! We have not included a final set of recommendations at this point, as this will form the next stage of our work and we want your feedback first. As well as being sent directly to local people and groups, this report will now be forwarded to the council. for its response and the opportunities it offers for working together. But, above all, we look forward to your response and feedback - email [email protected] In the meantime, do follow us on our facebook and twitter pages and on our new website www. speakoutwoolwich.org.uk

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Context

Woolwich has become a tale of two cities. There is an ever-increasing divide between richer and poorer residents, between newer residents and the more established local community. So-called regeneration has usually been outsourced to private developers, and the result is local people are often priced out of the area, and local networks and communities are displaced, a process often referred to as gentrification. Woolwich is identified within the Plan as an Opportunity Area. But opportunity for whom, when Opportunity Area designation has simply triggered dramatic land value increases and fueled real estate speculation? It has led to dense and high-rise developments, prioritising expensive market housing over less profitable uses, such as social rented housing. Soul-less blocks of often empty one and two-bedroomed apartments are littering the skyline, while the local need for more family-sized housing is ignored. Definitions of so-called “affordable” housing have stretched beyond breaking point. As an example, affordable housing in the proposed Spray Street area development is said to “provide an opportunity for young people to get on the housing ladder”. Yet, for a one-bedroom flat on a shared ownership basis, an average income of £53,000 per year is required, something very few local young people can afford. New developments in recent years have offered paltry amounts of social and family-sized housing and, where there are socially rented homes, they are usually in segregated blocks, often in the worst part of the development. Meanwhile, council estates in Woolwich are demolished and replaced with less and less social housing. There is a need for more community and green spaces that will attract local people and make them feel proud to live here. At the moment it is all too incoherent and fragmented. There are very few meeting places in Woolwich that are accessible and affordable to the local community. Successes such as the revamp of General Gordon Square, the Woolwich Civic Centre and the Covered Market demonstrate the importance of community spaces for community cohesion. We need to protect and enhance our local history and heritage. License has been given to developers to bulldoze areas that should be protected. In recent years we have seen the pointless demolition of the Victorian post office and the Grand Theatre, and, of course, we almost lost the Covered Market (now grade II listed). At the moment it has become a battle between heritage and regeneration. It shouldn’t be. Sustainable regeneration would protect local heritage and history, which Woolwich has in abundance, but, most importantly, it would put the needs and aspirations of local people and local businesses first.

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Introduction to conference

Given by John Edwards, Chair, Speak Out Woolwich The council is drawing up a new Woolwich Masterplan or strategy. This will set out a plan for Woolwich covering a wide range of areas such as housing, transport, local heritage, types of buildings, green spaces, shops and retail, jobs, leisure, community buildings, and whatever infrastructure and facilities make up a community. Above all else, though, it should be about the people who live here and who will shape its future. A new strategy is very welcome as the current one is seven years old (2012) and a new plan for the future is needed, especially with new developments, including Crossrail, coming in thick and fast in the Woolwich area. Other good news is that the council is proposing to designate Woolwich town centre a Conservation Area and locally list many buildings of architectural and historic interest. This is both welcome and long overdue: it was proposed in the 2012 Masterplan, and is now finally happening. Community involvement to date has been minimal and this is why we have convened this conference - to listen to local people. Speak Out Woolwich is a voluntary and unfunded residents’ group for the Woolwich area, with a set of wide- reaching aims (see Appendix A). We set up about 18 months ago as we felt there wasn’t an effective voice for local people. This is our community, not one owned by large developers or, for that matter, by the council. We want to see Woolwich grow in the way that local people want and deal with issues that are important to local people. We like Woolwich, but know that it has its problems and that only by acting together can we do something about them. We do not believe that paid professionals or the council alone can do this, only the community can, so first and foremost they need to listen to us. In the short time since we set up we have had some notable successes in raising the profile of Woolwich and changing the course of some major planned developments – in particular, the proposed 27-storey tower in front of Tesco’s, and Spray Street, where the Covered Market has now been grade II listed. The council started the process of developing the new Masterplan last summer, using a design consultancy called Urban Initiatives Studio. They held two “stakeholder” workshops in September and November 2018 which were dominated by professionals, with minimal community participation. The council should have involved the community at the outset before they started to put the draft Masterplan together. We therefore proposed holding a joint event with the council to encourage community involvement, but the council declined our offer to do this. This was the catalyst for today’s event. We invited the council’s planning department to come along today to make a short presentation on the work done to date both on the new Masterplan and on the Conservation Area. They declined. We asked them for some materials or information so that we were accurate in what we had to say about the new Masterplan, but again they said no. The council has now announced it will commence its own “community consultation” on the Masterplan, with a launch event next week on Tuesday 6th February! Though the council’s planning department has not agreed to co-operate in this conference they have said they look forward to our feedback and to working with us in the future. Make of that what you will. We would like to thank those local ward councillors who are taking part in our event today; a number of them are very supportive of the work we are doing. But, above all, today’s event is about listening to you and giving you a voice in Woolwich’s future. We hope you find it enjoyable and inspiring.

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The Future of Woolwich Views from the Community

In the sections that follow, we summarise the views we have received. The sections correspond to the eight working groups at the conference although, as you will see, the workshop discussions also overlapped at times. Comments in each section are divided into those taken from notes at the community conference and those subsequently received in writing. Responses in writing are alphabetically attributed to local residents, but anonymised. We have extensively quoted residents’ own words. Comments from two workshops – on children, young people and families, and on the elderly, education, health and other services – have been brought together in section 7. In section 8, we have summarised comments on the council’s interaction with the community, not from any specific workshop, but from the conference and the written comments as a whole. Please bear in mind this is an edited summary. We have tried to reflect everyone’s input, but we cannot guarantee that every single point made at the conference and in emails is here. We welcome further views and comments as we see this as a work in progress.

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1. Community buildings and open spaces Notes from community conference Woolwich town centre Top of the list is the need for more clean toilets, well managed, with good disability access. As well as food, we would like to see exhibitions of e.g. art and sculpture dotted around the town. Other boroughs do it, so why can’t we? The indoor market, now a listed building, could be transformed into a botanical garden full of palms and exotic plants – an all-weather facility. As a general principle, the value of heritage buildings was recognised; we would like to keep them, but adapt them to the needs of today’s community, with good access for all. The green space in front of Tesco should be designated a community asset. The TV in General Gordon Square could be used more effectively, with performing artists showing their work. We need more green space, and are hoping to see that in Hare Street when the Leisure Centre is moved. The back alleys and less well-known walkways in Woolwich need to be cleaned up and developed into safe and pleasant routes, rather than dark and dodgy places. Make them into pocket parks. Riverfront plan Woolwich needs a Riverfront plan to develop the riverside space for the whole Woolwich community. Ending the divide The need to overcome the divide between the development and Woolwich town centre was discussed. A joint scheme to provide more allotments for both sections of the community was proposed. There is a need for allotments and growing areas; there is space on the Royal Arsenal site; a campaign to grow food could establish a relationship between the two parts of the communities. Woolwich must be more ambitious on this. Other suggestions included: underground walkways for pedestrians under the A206 (and the South Circular A205) or overhead pedestrian crossings; other ways to be found to reduce the impact of four-lane roads, in particular the A206 and the South Circular. (See also Section 4 on Transport and Pollution). Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

Written comments from residents Developing Woolwich • Resident L: “Woolwich needs a skyline policy that is much more than a views-and-tall-buildings policy. Woolwich also needs an imaginative policy for the use of roofspace: green roofs, living walls and green buildings. The Waterfront area should be the subject of a special plan (social, aesthetic, ecological).” With regard to green space, just having it is not enough. “It needs to be well planned, well designed and well managed. Woolwich needs public, communal and private space, space for activities, garden space etc. People don’t just want to see green space. They want to use it, and they are willing to help maintain it. For this, the council needs a volunteer organiser.” With regard to urban food growing: “This can include an orchard, a vineyard, a nuttery, allotments etc. The government of Brazil gives some excellent advice: avoid processed food wherever possible. It lacks nutrients and it’s full of added poisons. Woolwich should follow Brazil!” The council should be asked to draw up a Public Open Space plan, setting out ideas for how open spaces (both paved and vegetated) could be used, and then allocating these uses to the available space. “It is all too common for planners to draw green spaces as though they were all mown grass (this is called the ‘green sauce’ approach). This is not good enough. There needs to be social, ecological and aesthetic objectives for every hard space and every soft space.” The council should be asked to draw up a Riverside Plan, for a “Woolwich Corniche”! [editor’s note – a corniche is a road cut into the side of a cliff]. “Gillespies did some planning for this along the Royal Arsenal Riverside, but were of course doing what Berkeley told them to do and not considering its social/ecological/cultural potential. Also, I think much of the quality of Gillespies’ plan was lost in the implementation. Using landscape architects to win planning permission and then ignoring their schemes is all too common. The council landscape architect needs to act as a champion for the public goods aspects of the design.” • Resident C: An overall “framework plan” should be developed that “articulates a clear spatial and also social vision for the centre of Woolwich”. Attention needs to be paid to environmental conditions. “Woolwich is particularly vulnerable to detrimental new developments, because it slopes northwards away from the sun, and has higher air humidity (causing perceived coldness) and wind-speeds due to the location next to the vast open river Thames.” An additional problem is a large stock of buildings that look run-down and are threatened with demolition. There is a lack of planning security; people do not invest in buildings; a vicious circle emerges. Finally, “new developments are often out of scale (too big and ill adjusted to their context). They increase overshading, wind- speeds and also cause awkward issues of overlooking. They shrink the city and older buildings around them and consequently create distorted places.” This problem is particularly evident in Lewisham. Buildings should, on the one hand, “allow enough sun/ sky-light, and good quality public spaces”, and, on the other, reflect “the intensity of urban life, with people enjoying each other”. This demands intelligent distance but also proximity, unlike Woolwich Arsenal where this has gone wrong. Means to achieve this include: restricting the height of buildings around the centre of Woolwich to a maximum of 5-6 floors; minimum distances between buildings to avoid over-dense development.

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A small-grain approach should be promoted, to support small urban plots and small scale businesses, as well as social diversity and visual diversity; empty sites around existing buildings should have clear planning guidance for height, distance and proportion; and existing building stock should not light-heartedly be demolished. This should be done “only after a thorough investigation of possibilities and alternatives, in a real participatory process”. Such a framework “would simply not allow destructive proposals like in Love Lane, Mortgramit Square or Spray Street to be even considered.” • Resident D: With respect to tall buildings, they “need to have character and sympathetic exteriors, and not be monolithic, if they are to add something positive to the town landscape.” • Resident G expressed concern that the council’s Masterplan is “really just pie in the sky”, as it appears to concentrate on areas the council does not own. “There is no mention of engaging with the big land owners like British Land as to what their thoughts are on the plan or how they envisage it to be implemented. Surely it would make sense to bring the landowners, public and council together to devise such a plan?” Transparency about the ownership of land and buildings is important. The council could also concentrate on improving the land they do own, such as the strip of pedestrianised walkway along Powis Street. • Resident H expressed uneasiness at the way the term “public space” is used, and drew attention to an article on public private spaces and their limitations. In e.g. Stratford or Canary Wharf, “you can quickly see how public/private spaces become socially cleansed, and meet the needs of the developer (i.e. to sell more flats) rather than the community (who may be restricted from walking their dogs, having a picnic, riding a scooter, playing with a ball or running a boot camp in the space). I think that public space should be publicly owned and managed, solely to meet the diverse recreational needs of the community.” She pointed to the example of Miami Beach in Florida, USA. In the 1970s, the grey Art Deco buildings, characteristic of the area, were starting to be demolished and were not valued. A community group took the initiative to turn this potential negative to a positive. “They came up with a style guide with colour palettes for the buildings and guidelines for new buildings so they blended in (without being too pastiche), and succeeded in turning it into a culturally diverse and desirable area.” Reducing the division between the Royal Arsenal and Woolwich town centre • Resident D: “Re. the feeling that the Royal Arsenal isn’t welcoming, the RARE farmers market should be advertised in the town centre, not just around the Arsenal itself.” Public spaces and buildings in the Arsenal need to be better advertised. “Last year the Council held a street fair in the Arsenal, with food stalls, information stalls and a stall from the King’s Troop. This was well attended by all sorts of townspeople. This should be repeated.” • Resident K: At the council’s own strategy presentation (see Section 8) it became clear that “there is no real strategy on how to make the two halves of Woolwich [divided by the A206] – the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’; the gentrified Royal Arsenal, and the main part of the town, with its housing for local people already living here – join up.” “The past strategy of continual widening of Road and Woolwich High Street has not solved the traffic congestion, but merely encouraged more and more traffic through the town centre. The widened road surely makes it more difficult for pedestrians to cross, even with traffic signals. The strategy’s plan to turn the road into an avenue of trees would be a good move, but how can that happen? Because to the north of the A206, the Berkeley Homes developments are too close to the road edge. It is not suggested how the tree avenues would be planted, or how they would grow in the limited space available.”

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Woolwich town centre • Resident M: The council’s Masterplan “identifies key connections across the area. However, the opening of Crossrail is likely to shift the centre of gravity away from Powis Street and Hare Street, in particular towards the General Gordon Square–Crossrail axis. More effort will be needed to enhance this link for pedestrians. The plan should reduce the width of Plumstead Road in this area, to provide much better links. In this area, the road is 6 lanes wide, which is far too much for this critical part of the town centre. The number of carriageways must be reduced. This is particularly strange in the wider context: Woolwich High Street narrows to one lane when cars are parked, and the east of Plumstead Road narrows to a single lane for vehicles.” With regard to public space in the town centre, “two new squares are proposed, the first one at the junction of Hare Street and Powis Street. This I believe to be a distraction. It is unlikely to be a genuinely vibrant space in the current context, and seems to serve no real purpose. It will have very little passing traffic and is unlikely to generate the footfall anticipated. [...] A new square opposite Lidl, by the cycle shop, would be a better investment, as it would enhance the setting of established businesses, and could even open up opportunities for small businesses at the rear of Iceland. While the second new square around the foot tunnel is a welcome addition, the current design, with two L-shaped buildings flanking it, is unlikely to be well-used.” “The layout of the buildings [in the council’s plan] should be revised so it is more open. The key issue is also the crossing on Woolwich High Street, with unsightly railings and a very narrow and unattractive pedestrian crossing point to connect with Hare Street.” The linear park [planned on the north side of the A206] is unlikely to be realised within the timeframe of the Masterplan. “It relies on the removal of the Premier Inn hotel car park, which is unlikely to be a realistic prospect for the hotel operator. I also fear that creating this link is likely to reinforce the barrier between the town centre and the Royal Arsenal even further, when the plan should be trying to find all solutions it can to remove these barriers.” The Masterplan incorporates the estate of towers to the south-east of the town centre. “There are no suggestions on how to improve on what is currently a poor quality public realm. Surely there is a major opportunity through the Masterplan to redo and improve the space outside this estate.” • Resident K: “It is welcome to have a skyline policy coming along so that we don’t continue the mostly current scatter-gun approach.” In general, heights in the old town should be much lower than those along the waterfront. • Resident D: “Money earmarked for ‘pocket parks’ should instead be spent on improving and maintaining existing green spaces, with better landscaping, and planting of bright flowers and shrubs”. General Gordon Square has no flowers in it, and spaces for plants in are often empty. “Some of the vacant buildings in Hare Street and Powis Street have genuine historic appeal but the Council fails to use its powers to have the landlords maintain them. It only requires the bare minimum such as boarding.” Damage to these buildings, including rot and dangerous plants such as buddleia cracking frontages, adds to a tired, dilapidated perception of the town centre: “Boarding outside vacant lots and premises should be painted with murals or art. Local school children should be allowed to paint them.” “Last year the Council conducted an anti littering campaign by working with local businesses. This was effective and should be repeated.” There are too many (six) betting shops and gambling/gaming shops in close proximity around General Gordon Square and Beresford Square. More resources for policing are needed, to reduce violent crimes around the town centre.

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Green space in the town centre • Resident K: There is a lack of green spaces in Woolwich town centre – and a lack of consideration of this issue in the Masterplan. “We only have two green spaces of any significance in Woolwich, one in the Royal Arsenal, and the other on the hill with St Mary’s church. Why are there no green spaces? How did this happen? [...] There was green space down by the river north of the A206, by Warren Lane, and now this is being built on with many large blocks. A prime opportunity has been missed here to create a green waterfront.” “The Council has decided that the only thing that matters is more high-rise luxury homes that will make huge profits, to the detriment of the community, because very few local people will be able to afford the sky-high costs of this expensive living. And this is why the community should have been involved and hasn’t been, and its needs have been ignored. In front of the Tesco store, there has been a plan to build a 27-storey tower by Meyer Homes submitted. Thankfully, the Council’s Planning Board got this right and sent them packing. But this piece of land is such an opportunity for some nice public informal green space with nice planting that we lack so much in Woolwich. A tower in this area is completely unacceptable, as it would cast a shadow over General Gordon Square. The space could be many things: for example, picnic seating with nice planting, or children’s soft play areas.” The and roundabout • Resident M: The roundabout at the ferry is “a poor use of space in an urban setting. A cross junction would permit a much better entrance and arrival point at the end of Powis Street and Hare Street. Removal of the roundabout would make much more efficient use of this space. The issue of the build-up of traffic to access the ferry should be better managed. The ferry’s waiting area/ car park could also be landscaped, with trees to make it much more attractive. The Masterplan fails to mention the links between the ferry and the town centre. The Woolwich ferry is unique in London and could be seen as a major asset. It is also poorly integrated with the local public transport system; a second transport interchange in this location could create a better connected Woolwich.” The Covered Market • Resident E: The closure of the Street Feast venture, less than a year after opening, with delays in Crossrail cited as the reason, “demonstrates that many new ventures do not have the local community at heart – only what they can make from it financially”. • Resident F: “Keep the public market and create a greenhouse/foodhouse growing specimens and architectural plants, to reflect the cultural diversity of Woolwich whilst selling locally grown produce.” It could be “visually and artistically amazing – a mini Kew but with food too, doubling up as a Street Feast type events space.” This would set Woolwich up as a Green Garden Town. The Spray Street area • Resident M: The Masterplan is “vague” on the Spray Street area; “it appears to lack detail on new infill opportunities. These are particularly important above the DLR station entrances, but also at the rear of Woolwich Station. The car park and air rights above the rail lines which are sunken appear to be opportunities for new development.” • Resident H: An economic study should be conducted of the Spray Street development, “with a ‘local people’ focus. The 50 local freeholders will have their properties compulsorily purchased and therefore no say in the purchase price; leaseholders/tenants will be served notice and probably not compensated?; the council will then sell land to the developer, but at what price? Do they make a cut?” “The developer makes the big profit otherwise they wouldn’t bother doing it. So the value/monetary gains are transferred from many hands to one.” Developers cite the value of new local amenities and job creation as the pay-off, “but with an economic analysis this might prove to be limited, as there’s a transition from local to corporate amenities, and the jobs are likely to be minimum wage as opposed to owner-operators etc.”

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The riverfront • Resident M: “Woolwich is unique in being a town centre with a direct waterfront setting. Yet, little is made of this asset. It is largely given away to new high-rise residential development [...] despite the fact that it could become a major attraction to visitors [...]. Richmond provides an example of a waterfront setting where there are active uses that overlook the river. While different in context, the setting of bars and restaurants is a unique opportunity that is not explored in the council’s plan. This can only be successful if tied into a strategy with good public transport access and parking, in particular in the evenings. There are so few areas in or even locally where this setting is enhanced. Woolwich is the one key opportunity to make it happen and bring in people to the town.” “Should restaurants and cafes not be encouraged to take up space on the frontage overlooking the water? I would suggest that car parking is also permitted in this area, to encourage such active uses in the evenings.” • Resident H pointed to Richmond riverside, developed in the 1980s. While it has been criticised for being pastiche, “its effect is seamless, and it enhances the area and the lives of residents.” She drew attention to the Thames Landscape Strategy, and particularly the part which considers the development of the Thames path as a whole, rather than a sum of disjointed parts. • Resident J questioned the decision to close, and move, the Waterfront leisure centre. “Is this a property deal, making available a riverside location for development?”

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2. Local heritage and architecture Notes from community conference The working group on Local Heritage unanimously agreed to recommend that in the town centre: (i) the conservation area be extended eastwards, to include Spray Street and Anglesea Road, and (ii) the conservation area be extended westwards, to include Calderwood Street and Thomas Street. Additional roads should be included: Bloomfield Road, Sandy Hill Road, Frederick Place, Brookhill Road and Burrage Place – all comprising an area of “great character”. Concern was expressed that communication from councillors about planning procedures was not sufficiently open. The criteria for applications to construct buildings were criticised: they are not sufficiently stringent. It was unanimously agreed that the location, relationship to other architecture, and access, are the most important elements. Re , the group unanimously agreed to recommend that the Clockhouse be included in conservation area, and that a Heritage Report on the area be prepared. Written comments from residents The Woolwich Conservation Area • Resident B: “I am all for having Woolwich designated a Conservation Area, but I do not think that all vernacular buildings should be preserved – only those with architectural merit.” Buildings should not be kept just because they are old, or because they are used by businesses; what businesses need is to protect their livelihoods, not the buildings as such. “Many recent local developments are dreary looking and have little architectural merit. Note the carbuncle cup awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects to Tesco’s.” Only planning applications “whose design is high quality, creative and futuristic in keeping with the desired future dynamism of Woolwich” should be accepted. • Resident M: The council’s Masterplan “does not seem to recognise the character of Woolwich and use this to enhance the area’s setting – in particular, the area around Bathway, or the back streets such as Mortgramit Square, which are unique settings for London and which retain a sense of what the area was once like.” • Regarding General Gordon Square, resident H called for “more care and direction [...] to preserve the heritage of the square as a whole.” New buildings “will undoubtedly have an effect on the square in its entirety”, he pointed out. • Resident K: Re. the Woolwich Town Centre Heritage Study, the Study is excellent – but “much has already been lost. The Spray Street plan was to demolish all. The report highlights the properties along the Plumstead Road, and in Woolwich New Road, that would be pulled down. These shops and buildings may be run down, but they should be part of the strategy to get them looking better and refurbished. If they are demolished we lose part of Woolwich’s character, and sense of place.” He pointed to the example of no. 20 Plumstead Road, which is mentioned in the Heritage report. “It would be a shame to lose it, and although it’s looking ill-used with un-sympathetic signage, it is typical of a building worth looking after and retaining.” An example of vernacular architecture being destroyed is the former Woolwich Infant pub,“which had a very distinctive ground floor window, which was ripped out entirely to turn it into a chicken shop”.

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• Resident N drew attention to the importance of preserving St Peter’s Church, 103 Woolwich New Road, as “a true piece of Woolwich heritage, built by Augustus Pugin in 1842-3”. The church has recently had some work done to repair its roof and masonry; next door is a parish centre, Pugin Place, which was built by Augustus Pugin’s son Edward in 1858, and was once a school. A huge upstairs space is currently unused, because it needs repair, for which a volunteer group is raising funds. She added: “I got involved originally as I was really annoyed that the grotesque Tesco building could be built opposite. It may be too late for parts of Woolwich to be saved, but I agree that we need to look after the places we live in, not ruin them!” • Resident O said that the council should develop a pedestrian and cycling heritage route through Woolwich, connecting the Royal Arsenal with the town centre and signposting/celebrating historical buildings and the rich cooperative, industrial and military heritage of Woolwich. Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

3. Leisure, Arts and Culture Notes from community conference It was felt there was no real platform for the arts in Woolwich. There is no suitable space for art or artists in Woolwich or the town centre, and this should change. Local artists’ groups, creative groups and local communities need a platform to showcase their creative talents. Currently Woolwich town centre does not offer anything of this kind. The Woolwich Festival is a significant bright spot and shows there is community activity across this field that is looking for a showcase. Mention was made of the plans for the new leisure centre on General Gordon Square which will incorporate the Tramshed. Are the plans for what will be incorporated into this centre available? We would expect that the existing facilities for swimming, exercise and sport will continue, but what space will be created for drama, music, dance or exhibitions? The importance of integrating and representing the many diverse communities in Woolwich – African, Nepalese, Indian and many others – with their strong, distinct cultural backgrounds was discussed. Currently there is no space to represent this diversity. The example of RichMix, Shoreditch – a locally-led, not-for-profit organisation for artists, live bands and other types of performance, exhibitions and talks, which is organised by and for the local community and attracts wider audiences – was cited. The centre offers space for cinema, theatre, live music and exhibitions. A community-led project like this is badly needed in Woolwich. We need a list of venues in Woolwich that are available as spaces for artists and community groups. Representatives of the Art Studio said that organisations like theirs need inside and outside public spaces throughout the borough, and in Woolwich Town Centre particularly, to work with local young people. The proposed new Creative District in the Royal Arsenal Who can access it? Will there be space available for local artists and residents? Something like this needs to be accessible to everyone in Woolwich. The District needs to spread across to old Woolwich. The Bathway area could be linked with the new cultural quarter, bringing the two parts of Woolwich together. The Leisure Centre After the move to the Wilko’s site, what will happen to the current site? What kind of development will replace it? (Concern was also expressed about the implications of this move for traffic flow. See Section 4 on Transport and Pollution.) The leisure centre should be affordable for all when moved to the new site – so that it is genuinely for use by the whole local community. It was recognised that this may need a council subsidy. Written comments from residents • Resident M: No mention is made of the new leisure centre or the new Creative Quarter in the Masterplan, although “they surely have a significant role to play in attracting people to Woolwich.” • Resident J: Why are arts facilities being developed at the Riverside for the arts, while no attention had been paid to the old ABC cinema building in Wellington Street, or the Bathway venue? • Resident F proposed a Cultural Quarter in the Bathway area, to mirror the one on the Arsenal. A museum of Woolwich, to replace the heritage centre, should be considered.

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Other proposals: • “affordable theatre, arts and cinema in town with popular and special interest programming – not just on the Arsenal, but in the Bathway area too” • re-open the Tramshed theatre as a renowned comedy venue • “street spaces to be designed to accommodate open air performances (power supply, simple lighting, no generators)” • quiet spaces for contemplation, with signage to ask the public to respect this and art works/ sculpture to promote this • Resident O said Woolwich and its surrounding area, because it is still one of the more “affordable” areas of London, has lots of individuals/groups who are involved in the arts who could drive the arts/cultural scene forward with the right infrastructure and support. The Bathway could also be restored as a low-cost public bath/spa which would be well-used locally and be an attraction further afield.

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4. Movement, Transport and Pollution Notes from community conference Air quality was by far the greatest concern. Better public transport options and the safety of pedestrians were also discussed, and the subjects overlapped. Air quality Concern was expressed about the effect of pollution on pedestrians. Ways should be found of reducing traffic, especially on the A206; traffic should be reduced on residential streets, to prevent “rat runs”; the implementation of a comprehensive one-way system in the centre of Woolwich should be considered. The recent closure of Woolwich Ferry has caused increased concern about the volume of industrial traffic. A low emissions zone should be put in place in Woolwich. Specifically, thought needs to be given to the effect of the London-wide Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) being introduced in 2021. It will stop at the South Circular – but this could have a knock-on effect in Woolwich, e.g. with people seeking to park cars in Woolwich and continue their journeys by public transport. Broader issues related to pollution were raised. Concerns were expressed about air pollution in schools, and recycling in the borough not being effective. It was unanimously agreed by the Transport and Pollution working group that the Council needs to make their green strategy clearer. Public transport The rezoning of Transport for London fare zones should become part of the Masterplan – and, specifically, the extension of Zone 3 to include Woolwich Arsenal, which is currently in Zone 4. Concern was expressed about connectivity to Crossrail in the future. Concern was expressed with safety on buses. People depend on buses for transport and do not always feel safe; greater interaction with bus operators to discuss this is needed. The concentration of bus stops, and the inconsistency across the area, was discussed. Some passengers have quite extensive distances to walk to bus stops, and this particularly affects those with young children. Bus route 177 was cited in this regard. The lack of public access to river crossings was discussed. There is no public access through the except for the 108 bus (a Greenwich/Blackheath route). Concern was expressed that moving the leisure centre to the Wilko’s site will change the flow of traffic, and concentrate it around the Tesco’s, General Gordon Square and Wilko’s sites. This should be avoided. It was suggested that a reduction in car use should be encouraged, by developing public transport infrastructure, combined with an awareness of disabled people’s needs for car transport and accessible parking. The group discussed the creation of “Living Streets”, where cars are not allowed. (There was no unanimity on this, due to the issue of car use by disabled people.) Pedestrian safety Concern was expressed with speeding on roads, the South Circular especially; and about the impact of IKEA with increased traffic and extra footfall, which is not supported by current infrastructure. Concern was expressed about the length of time allowed for pedestrians crossing main roads by traffic lights, especially on the crossings across the A206 and the junction of the South Circular and John Wilson Street. Concern was expressed that people with prams and young children do not have enough time to cross.

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The Local Heritage working group unanimously agreed a footbridge should be built over the A206. Concerns about the effect of traffic on local communities, and specifically on pedestrian safety, were discussed. Is there a way for additional river crossings to ease traffic? (The recent closure of the Woolwich Ferry highlighted this with increased traffic flow over last few months). The Transport and Pollution working group unanimously agreed that the council should encourage people to stop using cars by making pedestrian access more attractive. Anti-social activity along Woolwich New Road was also mentioned. Good street lighting and safe transport, to help elderly people who wish to go out in the evening, are important. Written comments from residents The divide between the Royal Arsenal and old Woolwich (the A206) • Resident A, who recently moved to the Royal Arsenal after more than 30 years in north London, expressed “delight with the strong sense of community we have discovered on both sides of the Plumstead Road”, and hopes “to actively participate in the renewal of such an historic and, particularly in the case of Woolwich Town Centre, sadly neglected area. There is so much to build on.” “Poor traffic management on the Plumstead Road is a massive barrier to any real cohesion between the Royal Arsenal and Woolwich Town Centre. The traffic moves through this area at dangerously high speeds, the timings at the pedestrian crossings (including the new super-crossing) favour the movement of vehicles, not people, and there are no speed cameras in the vicinity.” Drivers ignoring the “no right turn” sign at the junction of MacBean Street and Plumstead Road is a problem; there is a danger of a “serious incident”. • Resident F: “Connect the Arsenal with Beresford Square with some pedestrian-only routes (footbridges, living bridges, green bridges). More gateways through the Arsenal wall. Reduce traffic flow (if it can’t be channelled through an underpass).” Pollution and air quality • Resident B advocated high rise balcony gardening. With the greater number of blocks of flats and high rises, “the old style front and back gardens, which were a haven for local flora and fauna and helped mitigate local pollution levels, are increasingly becoming a thing of the past”. Gardening, both inside flats and on balconies, can mitigate pollution, in particular by plants absorbing carbon dioxide. “Developers should be asked to build all flats with balconies large enough to facilitate growing plants.” • Resident F suggested “green roofs, pollution-blocking carbon-grabbing walls to block polluting vehicle routes, and mass tree planting.” In buildings, “use only carbon neutral/sustainable materials, manufacturers and constructors. If really not possible to retrofit older heritage buildings, keep frontages.” • Resident M: The council’s Masterplan “fails to mention the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone which will lie to the west of Woolwich, in 2021. This is likely to create an increase in traffic and therefore increase local air pollution in Woolwich. The Masterplan should recognise this issue and seek to introduce an air quality zone for the town centre. This can only work in line with a strategy to narrow the carriageway of Woolwich High Street and Plumstead Road as a means to encourage walking and cycling.” Cycling • Resident H, who crosses the river and cycles via Poplar rather than trying to ride via Greenwich, says it’s a shame that the cycle superhighway extension to Woolwich had been cancelled. “More people cycling to work cuts peak time congestion and improves public health, but riders need to feel protected for it to happen.”

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“Protected/dedicated routes to primary schools would be a good priority, as many kids live a mile or less from their school. Cycling/scootering could be a more attractive option than driving and would solve many congestion and particulate problems around primary schools.” • Resident M: Cycle routes need to be integrated into wider traffic plans. “I note, in particular, the lack of consideration [in the Masterplan] for better links to Wellington Street. This is the key route into Charlton, yet the large junction on the South Circular is dangerous to cross for cyclists (it is also a climb). Wellington Street is also ideal for the construction of segregated cycle lanes as it is wide enough and could help narrow the carriageway, thereby promoting reduced traffic speeds – a recognised issue on Little Heath.” “The stretch of road along Plumstead Road is ideal for a segregated cycle lane in a narrowed carriageway scenario. This would ensure there are more integrated and safer links. I also express concern at the proposed alignment of the cycle lane through the Woolwich ferry roundabout. Unless adequately signalised, a much safer cycle link must be considered. Further detail on how this would work must be explored in the Masterplan.” The Masterplan could refer to the cycle repair shop in central Woolwich, and/or link cycle lanes to it, to encourage people to use it. • Resident L: “Cycling: TfL do not do this well, and I doubt if Greenwich has cycle planning expertise. The important thing is to hold a meeting with the Greenwich Cyclists Group. They will know what will work. Regarding the extension of CS4 from to Woolwich, it is hard to know if it should follow the waterfront (as an improved Quietway) or whether it should follow the A206.” Public transport • Resident F suggested rickshaw taxis and electric taxis, and subsidised bus fares.

Car parking • Resident M: “The Masterplan fails to address the issue of parking in sufficient detail. Despite the desire to encourage public transport use, the reality is that Woolwich competes with the retail sheds at Charlton for footfall. In my experience, the car parks in Woolwich are usually well occupied, which suggests there is demand for them. The Masterplan suggests, without specifically mentioning it, that car parks will be removed. A better understanding of their consolidation and impact must support the Masterplan as it does not necessarily mean travel through other means, but instead is likely to push people away from Woolwich to other places, and result in an inevitable loss of footfall.” Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

5. Housing for local people Notes from community conference Social housing Land should not be sold to developers and priority should be given to building more social homes. The possibility of a moratorium on private housing, with social housing being put in the forefront, was discussed. The stigma surrounding social housing needs to be addressed. A negative aspect of the Right to Buy Scheme – that it prevents further houses being built, as once the property is purchased, the house isn’t replaced – was discussed. Family homes It was pointed out that most new homes being built in Greenwich are small, and not family-friendly, sizes. Most of them are one or two-bedroom flats that are not affordable for many people. Homelessness The council has powers to take over empty properties. Can these be used to cater to the needs of homeless people? An example is the empty cafe at the end of Powis Street. Community-led housing and mixed developments There was discussion of the possibility of self-built houses by cooperatives, and of houses being built by developers with a mix of private and social housing. The council’s Masterplan should include measures to cap the burning of pollutant fuels; and all new developments should install electric heat sources, rather than gas. Written comments from residents • The need for more social housing at truly affordable rents was underlined by a number residents in correspondence. • Resident M: “Should the Masterplan not suggest what capacity there is for residential development in Woolwich, based on the proposals being put forward? This would give some certainty as to what is happening, while also addressing the key development opportunities in the area. It would give certainty to developers and landowners on what is available. This could be a target for the town, and help identify opportunities for use of the Community Infrastructure Levy and S106 obligations [under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990].” • Resident O: “The Council has failed miserably to ensure developers build sufficient genuinely affordable, social and family housing in Woolwich, with most developments barely building 15% social housing, often much less, sometimes zero. In the Royal Arsenal, developed by Berkeley Homes, barely 8% of homes built are genuinely affordable. Yet Berkeley Homes have never had a planning application refused by the council. In addition, the council has demolished major council estates like Connaught and not replaced them with council or socially rented homes. And it does not use its own company Meridian Homestart as it could to build anywhere near enough genuinely affordable homes for local people.” Meyer Homes project (General Gordon Square) • Resident M: “There appears to be little justification for a new 27-storey building. Proposing such a height requires much more detail to be put into the Masterplan, as it will have a major visual impact on the town: what are its shadowing impacts, how will the base work, what proportion of parking is appropriate and how will the streetscape around it work? Such details must be explored more thoroughly.” Homelessness • Resident J: Empty buildings could be used as accommodation: “The former Woolwich Catholic Club has been empty for about twelve years – yet there are people sleeping in shop doorways in the town centre. There is also an accommodation block at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital which stands empty.” 18 Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

6. Retail shops, business and jobs Notes from community conference Initial costs and bureaucracy Units in the Royal Arsenal site are very expensive for local businesses. A Dental Surgery, run by a local resident and her family, with 20,000 NHS patients registered, was not allowed in the Royal Arsenal area as the business is not private. The council’s process for new business start-ups is too rigid. There is too much paperwork; business advisers are not available to help new start-ups with e.g. completion of forms and advice on health and safety legislation. Employment in the borough and links with businesses The council should form viable links with the local community, and employ local staff. A local resident, who runs a security firm, noted that they had the local resource to provide security personnel for the council but, instead, labour was sourced from outside the borough. Larger businesses and local shops The council is prioritising larger businesses – which have the resources to employ business advisers and get the required support – over local shops. Preservation of existing businesses These should be prioritised, instead of being replaced by newer shops. For example, more than eleven businesses are being shut down in Spray Street. Tourism should be a priority for Woolwich, as it is in the centre of Greenwich. Written comments from residents • Resident M: The Masterplan “fails to identify the existing stretch of retail along Thomas Street and Calderwood Street. Presumably this is an oversight, rather than reflecting a desire to remove retail from this area.” Also , “while we see the continued decline of the town centre, has there been any thought about bringing in showrooms for some of Charlton’s retail sheds?” • Resident H: Woolwich is criticised “for the selection of shops and the number of vacant premises but I don’t believe that mirroring the fast fashion offerings of Bexleyheath or Charlton retail park is the answer, as it divides the competition and ties the fortunes of the high street to the rise and fall of giant retail groups.” To encourage local, diverse entrepreneurship and bring new assets to the community, the council could e.g. (i) attract firms that take empty retail property and turn it into serviced retail spaces for pop-ups and start ups – which has worked really well in the Old Street roundabout (ii) If a residential property stands empty, the owner has to pay enhanced council tax rates; it would be good to see something similar for commercial properties, e.g. doubling business rates, if the retail property is empty for longer than, say, three months. “This could minimise speculation (i.e. keeping properties purposefully empty until Crossrail so that they can command higher rents) and would potentially lead to a natural adjustment of retail rents as commercial landlords are motivated to fill their retail spaces.” • Resident F suggested “waiving business rates for abandoned buildings for pop ups, arts spaces, start up businesses and as community consultation spaces.” • Resident O said we have to start by protecting and supporting the development of existing small shops and businesses. The 150 small, mainly BME, businesses in the Spray Street area must be guaranteed a future in Woolwich. Some, such as the Arsenal Gate café, have been in Woolwich for over 50 years. Rust Bucket Pizza is an example of a great local food business that ran very successfully in the square in front of Tesco’s but had to relocate. Other local food cafes and restaurants - e.g. Vietnamese, Nepalese, African and Eritrean, the Coffee Lounge, the East European run cafe near Sainsbury’s, and the Artfix cafe - show that businesses rooted in the local community can succeed. This is what works in Woolwich. This is what can make Woolwich distinctive. Local businesses should be encouraged to set up a Business Improvement District with support from the council. 19 Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

7. Children, Young People, Older People & Families, Health & Education Notes from community conference We need a community centre, in the heart of Woolwich, at which space and resources would be provided to everyone in our communities, including young people, the elderly, and families with babies and young children. Such a centre could provide e.g. cheap coffee and/or a space to sit and eat, including bringing your own food if you wish. Young people It is important that places be provided where young people can have someone to talk to. Young people need a place where they can be listened to. Possibly smaller hubs dotted around the town centre could provide this. Crime among youth was discussed, and reference was made to recent stabbings in Spray Street area. It was proposed that youth centres be built, as one way to deal with this. Babies and young children It is important to start positive processes young. Provision in Finland, where standards are high, should be studied. Suggestions made included: green areas with attendants, free nursery care, and community space in any new development for babies and small children. The elderly Elderly people experience social isolation. Measures to alleviate this include an area in a shared community centre for the elderly to relax and socialise. Health A big issue here is the prospect of losing a large proportion of GP services in town. Any practice with less than 10,000 patients is in danger of closing. There will be amalgamation with larger practices but this could leave ghettos where these is poor provision which will be particularly stressful for older people. There are also issues arising from the lack of knowledge about community life and local services which has come from the decline in local newspapers. As arrangements to run primary care services change, we can expect that more people will be lacking in knowledge about how to make most effective use of health services. The emerging division of Woolwich into the affluent riverside and the less prosperous town is taking place in health services, with Barclays Homes assuming responsibility for much of the infrastructure besides housing. There is a need for the Council, working together with Patient Participation Groups and other community health groups, to provide a counterweight to the creeping privatisation of health care. A larger number of outdoor gyms, to encourage a healthy lifestyle – for people of all ages – was mentioned. These initiatives should be community-led and not led by professionals. Written comments from residents • Resident F suggested “Cross-generational youth/elders boards on all consultations and in all leisure, culture and arts organisations.” She proposed a healthy eating surgery at the Public Market and marked healthy walking routes from there to the river, the common, parks etc. Water fountains are needed. Greenwich should “tap into the ‘you should know your blood pressure like your pin code’ campaign, and consider public monitoring stations and street doctors surgeries.” • Resident O said we need to ensure the local dental surgery in Woolwich New Road, which serves 20,000 patients, is retained (under threat from the Spray Street development) and helped to grow, with new ground-floor premises. 20 Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

8. Comments on the council’s engagement with the community Notes from community conference The council’s Masterplan should start with a social analysis of the area and culture of the people of Woolwich before any proposals are made. The working group on Local Heritage agreed unanimously that more consultation with the community by developers is required. Too much seems to be done behind closed doors. Local community involvement is absolutely critical. Written comments from residents • Resident L: “Architects and planners tend to work in isolation from clients. The great design projects in history resulted from designers working closely with their clients. Another problem is that architects and planners concentrate on the development of indoor space, more than on the outdoor space which affects the community every day.” “To get good outdoor space you need two things (i) consultant landscape architects, as Woolwich had for General Gordon Square and for the Royal Arsenal Riverside, (ii) a council landscape architect (a) to represent community interests to the designers and planners and (b) to work as a volunteer organiser to involve local people in maintaining open spaces.” “There was a famous government report on Public Participation in Planning. But the upshot was Consultation instead of Participation. Authorities found it much more convenient to offer people a chance to say what they think and then, having consulted them, to go ahead with what was planned in the first place. The whole idea of a single Master Plan also needs to be challenged. Instead, the issues should be considered layer-by-layer, involving the local community in each aspect/layer.” • Resident F contributed suggestions including: involving local residents from first stages of architectural process (participation in design, not post-scheme design consultation); and recruiting local architects. • Resident K: The council’s consultation on the Masterplan was “very poorly organised and run”, for the following reasons: i. The boards put up in the old Barclays bank building, for the council’s consultation, were “very poor”; there was very little information on them. “The building was freezing cold and very grubby – the whole thing was a shambles.” The council “have even engaged a consultancy, Urban Design Initiatives (UDI), to help, so I don’t understand why it was not more professional and informative. And where were the advertised ‘workshops’?” ii. The time given to respond to the Masterplan, with a deadline of 25 February, was far too short. iii. The consultation, as so far carried out, does not seem allow for any real participation by anyone except council technical staff, the consultants UDI, and the councillors responsible. “I say this because I went to the excellent conference run by Speak Out Woolwich on 2nd February, where none of the Council’s technical staff, or any cabinet person responsible, was willing to come and explain the strategy for the Masterplan. This is unacceptable, and very poor service to local ratepayers. [...] At the Conference, one of the speakers, Tom Turner, an Urban Planner and Landscape Architect, who lives in the Borough, said that in his experience, councils often consult, but don’t allow any actual participation – it becomes a box-ticking exercise. It seems that Greenwich appears to be exactly in this category of councils.” • Resident M: Despite the Masterplan’s good intentions, it “fails to address many opportunities and issues. In certain areas, it is not bold enough, in others it fails to provide sufficient detail to ensure it is a success, while in others it focuses too much on ideas that distract from the real opportunities that are present. The insufficient level of detail will, I fear, be used to the disadvantage of the local authority when confronted with complex planning applications.” Some of the mapping is also difficult to understand. 21 Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

He suggested a map that shows new interventions, or even individual projects, marked out clearly against buildings that are retained, so that the differences and opportunities are clearly identified. The engagement for the Masterplan has been “poorly advertised”. “I live locally and follow closely what happens, yet only found out about the stakeholder engagement through industry contacts. Apparently two events were held in October and November 2018. Good practice encourages early engagement with communities to ensure people’s voices are heard. This does not seem to have been encouraged. The event held in the former Barclays bank was poorly advertised from outside, with small notices posted on the outside of the building being the only indication.” • Resident G suggested that the consultation “was simply a ticking box exercise; I was actually disgusted by the way it was presented to the public”. The public would not even have known that the building in which it was held, the old Barclays bank, was open. There was no proper signage to say what was happening there, and the building inside was dirty and unkempt. “The boards were presented on chairs, and the place was freezing! I am sure if this Masterplan was being presented to the Mayor of London they would not expect him to attend such a venue.” The consultation could have been held e.g. in General Gordon Square, using mobile offices such as those used there for health campaigns. “People do care what happens to their high street, but they do not necessarily have the time to seek out such events. The consultation needed to be more accessible to minority groups and more available to everyone. The few people that attended the consultation in no way represented the demographic of Woolwich.” • Resident A was “dismayed” that consultation on the Masterplan was done so quickly and that the council had not asked Speak Out Woolwich to participate directly; and “very surprised” at the lack of attendance by the responsible council officers and councillors at the Speak Out Woolwich community conference. “Surely this would have been a great way for you to find out what many concerned Woolwich residents really want?” • Resident C urged the council to “shift their culture of engaging people in planning processes. Currently community participation is rare.” The community is presented with ready-made proposals from developers, but never involved actively. Large-scale developers should be asked to run “workshops that allow genuine input and design interaction by people, local communities and neighbours.” This would “allow a more thorough understanding of Woolwich as an already lively place. Designing in participation is a democratic act that contributes to place making. Participation should be a core part of 21st century urban life. People that get involved and see that they get taken seriously will develop co-responsibility and civic awareness.” This does not have to cost more, but it requires will on the council’s part.

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Evaluation of conference An evaluation form was available to complete. Just over 40 were returned. Of these 100% said they found the event useful. People were positive about the organisation of the conference, the diversity of issues covered, the inclusion of local businesses, ‘hearing from people I don’t always get to hear from’ and the local speakers. A number of people commented on the fact there were relatively few young people at the conference and the need to engage young people more. Many comments were made about the failure of the council to fully engage with the local community and attend the conference with information about what they were doing. A number also commented on the need for more conferences like this and the need to produce a report both for local people and the council. Others raised the need to ensure input from new and migrant communities. Here are just a few direct comments: • It was great hearing from other people and realising we have the same issues and ideas, and being educated about things I wasn’t aware of. • It made me realise how extensive community activism is in Woolwich, lots of knowledgeable people with strong views. • There is so much to do! Please keep going and growing. • It was a great event, well done Speak Out Woolwich, the community group for the many, not the few. • I live in Greenwich and would like to have an organisation like yours. • We need more time for discussion, please have more of these. • Thank you for organising this. Great work, well done team. • Young people were not well represented, we need to do more to attract them. • People agree on the key issues! It is surprising the Council is not here. • Listening to all the group feedback at the end was the most interesting. • Most useful was hearing other people’s ideas and suggestions I had not thought about. • Great afternoon, encourages people to use their voice. • A very well-run event, effectively bringing together local people who are tuned in to the issues. • Inspirational!

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Thanks & credits All contributors both at the conference and afterwards by email. Conference speakers: Helen Brown, Akil Scafe-Smith, Abu Siddiki and Tom Turner. Facilitators, note-takers and organisers: Adeyinka Adebayo, Andrew Blunden, Mike Brooker, Helen Brown, Liz Coward, Jacqueline David, Ruth Dodson, Dorinda Duncan, Alex Economou, John Edwards, Don Flynn, Kate Heath, Izzy Hickmet, John Ibanga, Cathy Oates, Dorota Paluch and Abu Siddiki. Conference report: John Edwards, Dorota Paluch and Simon Pirani. Dave Hockham, Ed and team, University of Greenwich, for the venue and help on the day. Councillors in attendance: Gary Dillon, John Fahy, David Gardner, Anthony Okereke, Gary Parker, and Ivis Williams. Photographs: Cover photo by Heather Karooma-Brooker Page one photo by Heather Karooma-Brooker Page two photo by Dorota Paluch Page four photos by Neil Clasper Page five photo by Heather Karooma-Brooker Page ten photo by Heather Karooma-Brooker Page fourteen photo by Neil Claspser Page seventeen photos by Neil Clasper

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Appendix A

Aims

Speak Out Woolwich is a local, voluntary residents’ group for the Woolwich area. The aims of Speak Out Woolwich are to: 1. Foster community cohesion and civic pride in the Woolwich area. 2. Represent the views of local people in regeneration and development schemes in the Woolwich area. 3. Improve the provision of council, social and genuinely affordable local housing in Woolwich that meets the needs of the local community. 4. Enhance the local environment, services and amenities, including protecting local heritage, in the Woolwich area. 5. Encourage local job creation and support the local economy. 6. Develop a community-led plan for the Woolwich area. 7. Oppose all forms of discrimination that affect the health, dignity and life opportunities of local residents.

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Appendix B

Concept Masterplan – A New Vision for Woolwich? Speak Out Woolwich preliminary comments Background This submission by Speak Out Woolwich is made following a very successful community conference attended by 120 local people on 2nd February 2019. The full report of this conference will be submitted as our full response to this consultation. This submission therefore simply gives some headline responses in order to meet the arbitrary 25th February deadline set by the Council. The comments made are in no particular order of importance. Community engagement and participation should be at the heart of this plan so that the local community has a sense of ownership in its own future. The plan to date has failed to engage the community in anything other than a tokenistic way. The introduction to this New Vision for Woolwich says that the Vision set out “has been carried out in conjunction with…community groups”. It has not; for example there has been no real engagement with Speak Out Woolwich, the only residents’ group that represents all of Woolwich. Speak Out Woolwich has been trying since August 2018 to encourage the Council to engage in a meaningful way with the local community, but to no avail. The local community should have been brought in at the outset so they had a real opportunity to influence the draft strategy. External consultants have been working for over six months with little genuine community engagement. The Council’s Planning Department refused to either attend the community conference organised by Speak Out Woolwich or provide any information for it. The Council consultation launched on 6th February was poorly advertised and very poorly executed, held in a disused, dirty, shabby building. The eight exhibition boards were of poor quality and difficult to understand, devoid as they were of clear maps and visuals. There were no workshops as promised for local people to engage in. This is in contrast to the two predominantly professional stakeholder workshops the Council held in September and November 2018 at which there were presentations and workshop discussions, though no evaluation. The consultation period with a deadline for comments of 25th February is too short to be meaningful. There should be a minimum 4 weeks’ consultation, preferably 6 weeks, in line with the minimum meaningful consultation deadlines set out the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement (SCI, December 2016). On 9th February Speak Out Woolwich wrote to the Council’s Planning Department and to the Cabinet member for Growth and Strategic Development about this shabby process of consultation, but has not had the courtesy of either an acknowledgement or reply, in breach of the Council’s own standards.

The Vision There are some welcome ideas in the Vision, especially in relation to the need to end the divide between the Town Centre and the Royal Arsenal, and to avoid gentrification. A new Masterplan (SPD) for Woolwich is not simply about buildings and physical infrastructure; it must place at its heart a vision for a cohesive community, avoiding asymmetric development, bringing people together and encouraging neighbourliness.

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What we like about the draft Vision. There is recognition of the need to: End the divide between the Royal Arsenal and the Town Centre. Make better use of Woolwich’s riverfront setting. Do something about the South Circular and A206 road network. Create better public and open spaces. Create better pedestrian and cycle routes linking the different parts of Woolwich. Create a more vibrant evening economy, which gives local people something to do and will make Woolwich feel safer. Do something in the meantime ie not wait for money for large-scale new developments.

What is missing. Many of the ideas are statements of the obvious and lack any real detail. In the end, a single Masterplan will only be meaningful if the issues are considered layer-by-layer, involving the community in each aspect (e.g. cycle network plan, green space plan, riverfront plan, community facilities plan etc.) and coming up with solutions supported by the community and deliverable within agreed timeframes. The following need to be addressed:

Housing for local people There is a lack of any vision for more genuinely affordable local housing, including family housing. There needs to be a commitment to deliver 50% social/genuinely affordable housing in any new development in line with the London Mayor’s strategy. To date the Royal Arsenal has delivered only 8% genuinely affordable housing (against a borough policy of a minimum 24.5%) and other major developments in Woolwich tell a similar tale. It is a tale of gentrification that excludes local people. The plan does nothing to identify in-fill spaces, including small sites, that could be used to meet local housing need. The plan needs to identify what capacity there is for local house-building and identify who the landowners are. Where land is publicly owned it should be kept for local house-building using both the Council’s resources (and borrowing) and that of Meridian Home Start. As it is, the plan says nothing about Woolwich being a designated “Opportunity Area” in the London Plan and the opportunities this provides for real estate investors seeking to maximise shareholder profits. We need to identify the challenges and how they might best be overcome for the benefit of local people, especially those in housing need.

Culture, arts and leisure There is no mention of the new Woolwich Creative Quarter on the Royal Arsenal. Whilst this provides an opportunity, it also has the very real potential of further dividing the Royal Arsenal from the Town Centre. There needs to be a parallel cultural offer in the Town Centre, perhaps focused around the Bathway area. The existing Tramshed, with a prime location on General Gordon Square, and with its long history of alternative comedy and music, should also be made more accessible to, and inclusive of, the local community. Links with the University of Greenwich, which has been active in engaging with the local community, should be further developed and supported. 27 Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

There is no mention of the proposal to relocate the Leisure Centre from its existing waterfront setting to the Town Centre. We question the need to do this instead of redeveloping it where it is, making the best of its riverside setting and developing cafes etc within the vicinity. Why does the proposed Waterfront Plaza not incorporate this? It would be more environmentally sustainable and not lead to further demolition of existing assets. A riverside town Woolwich is special in being a Town Centre with a direct waterfront setting, and this needs to be optimised, whilst recognising the disadvantage of its north facing aspect. Currently the waterfront has been dominated by high-rise blocks (designated ‘Waterfront Living’) but it could be made a public attraction to both locals and visitors alike. Woolwich needs to be connected along the riverfront both east and west, connecting riverside linear green and public spaces from to Woolwich and Charlton, and on to Greenwich. The waterfront area should be the subject of a special plan, incorporating social, aesthetic and ecological aspects. Heritage Little mention is made of the need to preserve and enhance the existing heritage and history in line with the proposed new Conservation Area and/or locally listed buildings’ status. This area should be extended to include the ‘Spray Street Quarter’ (as far as Burrage Road), the area around Love Lane and Tesco’s (including the green space) extending up to the Woolwich Common Conservation area, and the roads around Anglesea Road. There is no mention of areas such as Bathway and Mortgramit Square which could be developed in ways that are unique and reflect the history of the area. Immediate consideration should be given to signage etc celebrating the town’s fine architecture and the rich history of its cooperative and mutual movement, as well as its military history. The Town Centre has already seen the pointless and destructive loss of much Woolwich history, such as the Grand Theatre in Wellington Street, and this must be stopped. Some of the vacant buildings in Hare Street and Powis Street have genuine historic appeal but the Council seems to be failing in its powers to have the landlords maintain them. This adds to the perception that the town centre is tired and dilapidated. Good Design No mention is made of the need for good quality design to be at the heart of any new developments so that we do not end up with yet more bland, soul-less blocks unsuited to community and family living. We need high quality, creative and futuristic design in keeping with the desired future dynamism of Woolwich. Community facilities No mention is made of the absence of high quality community owned facilities for use by the whole community, something that is desperately lacking in Woolwich. There is a dearth of facilities for the community, encompassing the age span from children through youth to families and elderly people, and including the very many diverse communities in Woolwich. Safety and crime Attention needs to be paid to the reasons why there is a relatively high incidence of crime and why people do not feel safe. The reasons for this will be multi-factorial but must be addressed, and need to include a wide range of agencies, but most notably the communities most susceptible to crime, both as victims and perpetrators. Models from elsewhere, notably the Glasgow example, should be learnt from.

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Town Centre management and retail No mention is made of the need for effective Town Centre management and the potential for a Woolwich Business Improvement District to pay for this and to improve the Town Centre. There is no mention of the Future High Street Fund and how this might benefit Woolwich, though again the Council to date has not consulted local community groups about this. Similarly, no mention is made of British Land who own approximately 56 retail units in Powis Street and have a vital role to play in the future development of the Town Centre. Nor is there any reference to the need to retain local businesses and help them thrive, instead of potentially forcing their relocation/closure, as is the case with the proposed Spray Street Quarter, with the predicted loss of 173 permanent jobs, mainly from BME communities. Areas of current retail offer that could be improved are not even mentioned eg Thomas Street and Calderwood Street. Recognition needs to be given to the crisis in high street retail. Pipe dreams of high-end brand retail shops (likely to remain empty) need to give way to a realistic vision of local, thriving independent shops serving the needs of the local community. Immediate action should be taken to offer local businesses affordable rents and rates and to improve existing shopfronts and signage. What to do in the meantime The so-called ‘meanwhile’ uses should be supported, but any activity/ideas must be rooted in local community needs and ideas, and not simply imported from a hackneyed Shoreditch model. No mention is made in this respect of the now grade 2 listed Covered Market and its potential for supporting local creative industries and local food businesses such as Rust Bucket Pizza or other local food outlets such as Nepalese, Eritrean, Vietnamese, African and traditional local cafes, to name but a few. The public realm and green spaces Though reference is made to the public realm, there does not seem to be a clear vision as to how outdoor, community space can be maximised and enhanced. To get good outdoor space, in addition to appointing consultant landscape architects, we need an in-house council landscape architect who will represent community interests to designers and planners, and will work as a volunteer organiser to involve local people in maintaining open spaces. Money earmarked for “pocket parks” could be spent on improving and maintaining existing green spaces with better planting and landscaping, and planting of bright flowers etc. General Gordon Square has no flowers in it. Spaces for plants in Beresford Square are often empty. Boarding outside vacant lots and premises could be painted with murals or art, potentially involving local school children. Woolwich needs a Friends of Woolwich Town Centre group to ensure community ownership of such spaces. We need an imaginative policy for the use of roofspaces, green roofs, living walls and green buildings. Just having green space is not enough. It needs to be well planned, well designed and well managed. Woolwich needs public and communal space, space for activities, garden space, food growing space etc. We also need spacious balconies in flatted developments so that people can grow things. People don’t just want to see green space. They want to use it and can be encouraged to help maintain it. Transport and pollution Crossrail is briefly mentioned as an opportunity, which it is, but opportunity for whom? The fact that it will now be located on the Royal Arsenal side, under the influence of Berkeley Homes, means it has the very real potential of further widening the divide between the Royal Arsenal and the Town Centre (as does the Creative Quarter). Crossrail will mean that many Royal Arsenal residents who currently use the public transport system in the Town Centre will no longer have to do so. 29 Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

Given its location in zone 4, Crossrail will remain unaffordable to many local income residents. At the very least there needs to be a very determined campaign to have Woolwich Arsenal rezoned to zone 3/4. Whilst there is a section on transport, including some welcome proposals, no mention is made of the need to link the Woolwich Ferry to the Town Centre and integrate it with the local public transport system. The Woolwich Ferry as a free service is unique in London, has a unique history in Woolwich and should be celebrated as a major asset. The plan needs to integrate its vision and ground it in what is already there. A good example of this is the vision for cycling (much welcomed). There is a long-established cycle shop in Woolwich (Harry Perry Cycles, established 1908) which could be better supported if cycle lanes were linked to it which would increase both the knowledge and use of this vital local business. The plan makes no mention of the ULEZ (Ultra-Low Emission Zone) which will be introduced in 2021 and extends as far as the South Circular. This will have a major impact on Woolwich, with a likely increase in traffic and a concomitant increase in pollution. The plan should therefore consider an air quality zone for the Town Centre. This can probably only work in line with a strategy to narrow the carriageway of Woolwich High Street and Plumstead Road as a means of encouraging pedestrian and cycling use, and enhancing road safety, a matter of major local concern. Poor traffic management on the Plumstead Road is a massive barrier to any real cohesion between the Royal Arsenal and Woolwich Town Centre. The traffic moves through this area at dangerously high speeds, the timings at the pedestrian crossings (including the new super-crossing) favour the movement of vehicles, not people, and there are no speed cameras in the vicinity. The elephant in the room (tall buildings) The plan is not sufficiently clear on tall buildings. Tall towers such as the proposed Meyer Homes’ skyscraper in front of Tesco’s are simply not appropriate for a Town Centre setting and the plan needs to be more specific as to what is, and what is not, acceptable in particular areas of Woolwich. Tall buildings need to have character, sympathetic exteriors and not be monolithic if they are to add something positive to the town landscape. Community assets and social impact The plan has nothing to say about the unique demographic of this area, nor does it show any knowledge of what already exists in the community (in terms of existing community assets, skills etc) and how to capitalise on these. Nor does it take any account of the social impact of any of the developments on existing communities and networks. This is a consequence of rigidly adopting a top-down approach rather than a bottom-up one as we have proposed. It shows both paternalism, a lack of imagination and a lack of faith in local people. This needs to change along with a step change in attitude, away from tokenistic consultation to genuine community participation and partnership. End-note Though late in the day, the Council now needs to seriously engage with the local community in a spirit of true partnership. Otherwise hundreds of thousands of pounds will have been spent on drawing up a plan that has no community ownership. This is particularly disappointing given the London Mayor’s recent commendation of the Council for the way it engaged the community in drawing up the Masterplan. What’s good for Charlton must be good for Woolwich too. Speak Out Woolwich will in due course submit a full conference report following its own successful community conference. This will incorporate a full range of community views.

Speak Out Woolwich, 25th February 2019 30 Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

Appendix C Proposed new Conservation Area and Local Heritage Listings in Woolwich Town Centre. Submission by Speak Out Woolwich

Background 1. This is wonderful news for Woolwich. We very much welcome these proposals which are long overdue. 2. For clarity, we note this consultation covers both a proposed new Conservation Area and a list of proposed new Local Heritage Building Listings. 3. We did not find the Conservation Area map online very clear and therefore it is unclear whether some recommendations we make are already included, but to err on the side of caution we have included comments in relation to both the Conservation Area and the local listings in case they have been missed. 4. The current Masterplan (SPD) for Woolwich (April 2012) recognised Woolwich’s stunning architectural heritage and recommended that significant parts of the Town Centre (Bathway Quarter, Powis Street and Hare Street) should be given additional heritage protection to conserve their distinct character. 5. There are currently 22 Conservation Areas in the borough, with those in adjacent areas including the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich Common, , Estate, Charlton Village and Charlton Riverside. Woolwich Town Centre is the missing piece in a larger jigsaw. It would have been helpful for the purposes of this consultation to have had a map showing the geographical relationship between these areas. Woolwich Town Centre Heritage Study 6. The Conservation Area proposal is based on the Woolwich Town Centre Heritage Study of December 2018 which is an impressive and comprehensive study (145 pages) conducted by Alan Baxter Ltd. However, we regret that the Council did not include Speak Out Woolwich in the consultation group that helped develop this study. Furthermore, and even more significantly, the Council declined an invitation to attend and give a presentation at a major community conference organised by Speak Out Woolwich on 2nd February. 120 local people attended and there was a specific workshop on Local Heritage (the most popular workshop). This was an ideal, but missed, opportunity for the Council to get feedback from local people at a mid-point in the formal consultation period.

7. The Study carefully analyses the history of Woolwich and the way in which that history is reflected in the built environment. One of its key conclusions emphasises the importance of preserving buildings of local architectural and historic interest, viz: In Woolwich, character is frequently expressed through the collective contribution of undesignated buildings of local architectural or historic interest. As a result, Woolwich’s historic character is particularly vulnerable to change. It is often hard to understand how a single building, in isolation, contributes to historic character but understood as part of a wider character area, its value is more apparent. Development that seeks the piecemeal loss and replacement of these characterful contributions, such as surviving commercial street frontages, should be given full and careful consideration as potentially detrimental to Woolwich’s distinctive character. Retention and creative reuse of surviving buildings could enhance the character of Woolwich without significantly reducing the town’s capacity for change and development.

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8. This is significant because it demonstrates how regeneration and heritage need not be in opposition but best work in synergy. 9. Hitherto, planning decisions with respect to Woolwich have been made on a piecemeal basis. In particular, in more recent years, developments have threatened the town’s history and character rather than enhance it. 10. Refurbishments and new builds should be required to enhance the Town Centre and a Conservation Area designation will clearly help this. This could result in replacement shop-fronts harmonising with attractive facades and in-fill developments with exciting and daring modern designs, which still accord with their surroundings. Woolwich needs high quality materials and design, not just in terms of buildings, but also in terms of paving, landscaping and street furniture. 11. Designating Woolwich as a Conservation Area should therefore act as a significant brake on some of the more soulless, bland, monolithic developments that have scarred the Woolwich townscape in more recent years, and have led to the sad and pointless loss of such fine buildings such as the old Post Office and Grand Theatre in Wellington Street. Recommendations of the Area Planning Committee and comment 12. On 29th January 2019 we made representations to the Woolwich and Thamesmead Area Planning Committee about these proposals. The Committee (chaired by the Council’s Planning Board Chair) gave full consideration to the proposals and is to be commended on its recommendations. 13. The Committee recommended to Cabinet (most likely meeting on 10th April) to adopt the Conservation Area and proposed locally listed buildings with the following amendments: That the Conservation Area be widened to include (i) the land bounded by Spray Street, Plumstead Road and Burrage Road (ii) Woolwich New Road up to the boundary of the Woolwich Common Conservation area (iii) Anglesea Road and the land bounded by Love Lane and Thomas Street (ie the green space in front of Tesco’s). 14. These are significant and welcome amendments which we fully support. They will ensure that two areas (the Spray Street Quarter and the area in front of Tesco’s) relating to significant proposed development are not excluded from the Town Centre Conservation Area and that there is contiguity with the Woolwich Common Conservation Area. 15. We also raised the question at Committee as to why Council Policy (Local Listing Procedure Note 2015) prevented a number of recommended locally listed buildings from local listing designation simply because they were in areas where there were live planning applications (i.e. Mortgramit Square and Spray Street Quarter). 16. This was in contrast to National Heritage listings which can and do occur during a live planning process, as recently demonstrated when the Covered Market received a Grade II Listing whilst subject to a live planning application. There should be a consistency between the national and local processes. 17. The committee therefore further proposed that recommended locally listed buildings that were to be excluded from local listing simply because there are live planning applications, should be added to the Local Heritage List. 18. However, to do this the Council would need to review/revoke their 2015 Policy on Locally Listed Buildings which currently prevents this. We now understand this Procedure will be reviewed in the current year and we would urge the Council to bring it into line with the national listing procedure, which it has the power to do.

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19. If the latter happens, then the following buildings would be added to the Local Heritage List: • 160-162 Powis Street and Furlongs Garage, Mortgramit Square • 170-172 Powis Street • Employment Exchange, Spray Street • 5,7-9, 11 and 13 Woolwich New Road • 9 and 20 Plumstead Road If this does not happen, they will be excluded.

20. With respect to Mortgramit Square, Conservation Area status and local listing of buildings could lead to the development of independent retail shops, artisanal outlets and cafes at ground level, with apartment homes above, at the same time retaining the granite sett/cobbled, winding lane. Conservation Area boundary 21. Our view is that the areas to the east and south-east of the proposed Conservation Area ought to be included. The four areas which should be included in the Woolwich Town Centre Conservation Area are as follows: a. The area bounded by Woolwich New Road, Plumstead Road, Burrage Road and Spray Street. Three buildings within that are already locally listed and one is nationally listed at grade II. The shop building fronts along Plumstead Road, although currently very neglected, clearly fall within the definition of buildings of local architectural and historic interest in the Woolwich Town Centre Heritage Study. This includes two historic pubs, including the former Woolwich Public Infant at 9 Plumstead Road and the former Burrage Arms at 20 Plumstead Road. Both are recommended for local listing but consideration should be given to possible Grade II listed status. Any buildings affected by the proposed Spray Street Quarter development should undergo close investigation and recording – particularly those that could easily be overlooked (for example, the hall to the rear of the former Pioneer Bookshop and the former rollerskating rink currently occupied by a church). b. The north side of Anglesea Road between Woolwich New Road and Anglesea Mews. As part of the Conservation Area consultation, the buildings on the north side of Anglesea Road are all recommended for inclusion on the local heritage list but they need the fuller protection of designation as part of the Conservation Area.

c. The grassed area in front of the Tesco building. This area is proposed for development and immediately adjoins the proposed Conservation Area. Whilst the planning process can take into account the proximity of a site to a Conservation Area, inclusion of this site within the Conservation Area will give far greater protection. This is of particular significance as the area adjoins and overlooks the main town square, General Gordon Square, and any development must not detract from the amenity of that area. Sadly, the General Post Office was demolished to make way for Tesco. We understand that there was a commitment to incorporate the preserved decorative brickwork from the GPO and would like to know what the plans are for this. d. The east side of Woolwich New Road between Anglesea Road and Sandy Hill Road. This incorporates Woolwich New Road right up to the Sandy Hill Road junction to the boundary of the Woolwich Common Conservation Area. Included in this area is St Peters Church on 103 Woolwich New Road built by Augustus Pugin in 1842/3. Next door is a parish centre, Pugin Place, which was once a school and also of architectural significance, built by Augustus Pugin’s son, Edward, in 1858. It has a wonderful hammerbeam roof and a volunteer group is currently fundraising to raise money to help towards its repair. 33 Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

This would mean that the shops intended for local listing in Anglesea Road, plus buildings in the upper end of Woolwich New Road, already recognised for their importance, would be included within the Conservation Area. 22. Of note some of the buildings in these four proposed areas are already: • Nationally listed as buildings of special architectural or historic interest • Locally listed as Buildings of Local Architectural or Historic Interest • Proposed to be locally listed as Buildings of Local Architectural or Historic Interest. Though those buildings therefore enjoy, or will enjoy, a degree of protection, the protection provided by designation as a Conservation Area is far greater, in view of the requirement that any development within the Conservation Area should preserve or enhance the character of the Conservation Area. 23. In addition, we believe there is a good case to make for the inclusion of the following as part of the Conservation Area, as this is an area of great character with terraces of mid-19th century and some early 19th century housing: • Crescent Road • Sandy Hill Road • Burrage Place • Frederick Place • Conduit Road • Burrage Road (except the 1970s development) • Bloomfield Road (except the 1960s tower blocks) but including Schoolhouse Yard 24. In the alternate, if this is not considered appropriate, this area should be designated as a separate, but adjoining, Conservation Area. Grade II Listings 25. In addition to the former Woolwich Public Infant and the former Burrage Arms (s 21a), we would support applications for two historic locally listed buildings in Woolwich New Road to be fully Grade II listed, namely: • 1-1B Woolwich New Road (formerly the Royal Mortar Hotel) • 3 Woolwich New Road (the former Pioneer bookshop, birthplace of the Woolwich Labour movement and significant in national Labour history) 26. We note that 7-9 Woolwich New Road (where the Dental Practice is) is recommended for local listing, but we recommend it should be considered for Grade II listing. Local Listings 27. We are delighted that buildings have been included in proposals for local listing, that could easily have been overlooked. An example is 89 Woolwich New Road where the shop front mirrors some of the features of the Anglesea Arms, providing group value. This, in turn, is attached to the remains of one of the oldest houses in Woolwich, which has a fascinating story in terms of its inhabitants – in particular, Jewish history. We would question why the following properties have been discounted from the list: • 4-5 Calderwood Street • 10 and 11 Greens End • 2 storey properties in Barnard Close at the rear of 111-113 Powis Street (already on local list) • 154-156 Powis Street • 1 Thomas Street - unlike its neighbours at 2-5 Thomas Street which benefit from a local listing, this 34 Speak Out Woolwich Community Conference 2019

property currently has no heritage designation. 29. We would further propose the following buildings in terms of local listing and/or inclusion in the Conservation Area, in addition to those highlighted in the report: • Parsons Hill. The Happy House Chinese Takeaway is a solitary, early nineteenth century survival. There is a tiny building on Parsons Hill to the south at the end of Powis Street where it joins John Wilson Street. It is a piece of old Woolwich, and relates to the locally listed building No.146 Woolwich High Street. It currently operates as a cafe. • 111 and 112 Woolwich High Street are the oldest surviving houses in Woolwich, built in the mid-1700s. Tom Cribb lived with his son, a baker, at no. 111, when he retired. Sympathetic refurbishment of these timber-framed buildings, could render them an attractive and interesting feature of the High Street. 30. In addition, if not already covered, any buildings of an Art Deco nature should be listed, including the former Electric House, together with the workshops in MacBean Centre, in particular the main building which has a very special green tiled staircase and original lift. Greenwich Heritage Centre and the Old Civic Quarter 31. As a close group of attractive, historic civic buildings, Old Woolwich Library, the Old Town Hall and the former County Court, together with the passageway between them and the converted former Magistrates Court, could provide a new and permanent home for the Heritage Centre and museum. We understand these are on the Council’s disposal list and advantages include: safeguarding of these attractive heritage buildings and a continuing contribution to the Civic Quarter, preserving the old Civic Centre of Woolwich. Summary recommendations 32. We propose four new areas (s 21 above) should be included within the boundary of the proposed new Conservation Area. 33. A 5th area (s 23) should either be included or considered as a separate, but adjoining, Conservation Area. 34. We recommend Local Listings should include buildings beyond those recommended, especially where they pertain to the need to review/revoke the Council’s current Local Listing Procedure Note. 35. We recommend some buildings of significant historic and architectural interest should be considered for national Grade II listing. We would like to be informed when a final decision will be made by Cabinet on this matter so that we can make representations as necessary at that meeting.

Speak Out Woolwich, 1st March 2019

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