Woolwich - Recent Development

Recent Development

Woolwich declined as a town in the late 20th century, starting with the closure of the Siemens factory in 1968 and continuing as the Royal Arsenal scaled back operations and finally closed in 1994. Without major local employers, the local economy was affected and the demographics of Woolwich changed. In the town centre, department and chain stores closed and the sprawl of the town centre shrank. The focus of shopping activity was limited mostly to Powis Street and the area around the market. By the early 1990s, the town centre had the typical appearance of a town in decline—discount retailers and charity shops using the empty stores. The local Council used several properties as offices. The last cinema, the Coronet, closed and in general Woolwich seemed to have lost its previous vigour.

However, once redevelopment of the former Royal Arsenal site began, Woolwich started to enjoy a renaissance. Several High Street chains previously absent from Woolwich have opened branches, and longer-established shops have been refurbished. The new terminus of the Docklands Light Railway's London City Airport branch, Woolwich Arsenal station, opened on 10 January 2009.

A large-scale redevelopment of the area around Love Lane called Woolwich Central, near the eastern end of Powis Street, commenced in 2011. The project includes demolition of several buildings including the Post Office, Crown Building, Peggy Middleton House and Thomas Spencer Halls of Residence, and the construction of new council offices called the Woolwich Centre ( opened in August 2011 ) and housing, local shops and a large branch of Tesco. Due for completion in 2012.

Local residents have been consulted about the design of the development. Plans exhibited to the public originally preserved the Director General public house, but in the final plans by Greenwich Council the pub was to be demolished

By June 2011 the Director General had been demolished, as had one of the council buildings, the Borough Treasurer's Office. The demolition of the former University of Greenwich halls of residence Thomas Spencer House had been completed, as had another former Council building, Peggy Middleton House. A new building is nearing completion on Wellington Street. The main Square in Woolwich is currently under redevelopment and new landscaping and will include a new water feature.

A Nandos restaurant opened in June 2010, two doors down from McDonalds. Several offices have been developed above shops on Powis Street, which is part of the regeneration of the area. The old Woolwich Building Society building is also in use again.

Planning for further development around the "Woolwich Triangle" area at the other end of town is in the early stages. This development includes plans to demolish the old art deco Co-op/"Scottley's" building at the west end of Powis Street. These plans have now been made public and exhibitions of the plans held. Since these plans became public, scaffolding has been put on the building on the Powis Street Side. Some locals are not happy about the plans for the Woolwich Triangle. A petition has been raised to save the building. In October 2008 a fire in the Woolwich Triangle area left the upper storeys of an empty Victorian shop building severely damaged, contributing to the decline of the area. The cause of the fire is not known.

Some redevelopment has begun at the Riverside end of Woolwich already, with the June 2008 demolition of the derelict Crown and Cushion pub (the last remnant of the "old" riverside) next to the Waterfront leisure centre, and the completion of a residential block on the site of the old Union Tavern, next to Riverside House. The last buildings which once stood on Beresford Street at the junction with Warren Lane have been demolished, and this site has been cleared with residential development planned. It is currently being used as a car park.

Isis Prison (a Young Offenders Institution) was opened within the perimeter wall of Belmarsh Prison in 2010.

The 2012 Summer Olympics will include Woolwich as a venue for shooting events, and building work has begun in the barracks for the location. The choice of Woolwich as the venue for the shooting has not been universally welcomed.

On Wellington Street the Woolwich Grand Theatre (formerly the ABC Regal Cinema and Flamingo's Nightclub) has recently reopened as an arts centre with a cafe. There is currently an art and craft market on Saturdays; as well as live entertainment, talks and film shows during the week.