THE DEPTFORD DAME
A group campaigning for a Museum of Slavery and Freedom to be established in Deptford has announced the launch of its latest initiative, the MoSaF Map, this Saturday. MoSaF London has issued an invitation to local residents, businesses and community groups to attend the launch and book a place on one of the free walking tours that take place on Sunday. Local groups, schools, neighbours and friends…
As an avid fan and occasional purchaser of Bread & Butler's cardamom buns, the news that the Creekside bakery is not reopening was a big disappointment to me. Bread & Butler Since Bread & Butler set up home in the old Medina Building at 3 Creekside it has become much loved for its great quality bread and waistband-busting morning goods. It was also one of three tenants that Creekside developer…
When plans for residential development at 1 Creekside (now at its final construction height) were going through the planning process a few years ago, there was great consternation among regulars of the Birds Nest pub and local musicians about whether future residents might object to disturbance from the gigs and all-day festivals that it is famous for. View along Reginald Road SE8, existing Birds…
Deptford's Albany Theatre and its back garden are earmarked for construction of more than a hundred new flats in the new Lewisham local plan, the document which sets out the council's planning strategy for the next two decades and which is out for consultation at the moment. The Albany is being put forward for 'comprehensive mixed use development' which would see the theatre retained, but with…
Another case I reported on last year - the application to build a three-storey block of flats on the former Blusher's pub site on McMillan Street - has just been dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate after the applicant took Greenwich Council's decision to reject it to appeal. Proposed block of flats on McMillan St According to the inspector, the main issues were the effect of the proposed…
Draft proposals for the reconstruction of number 229 Deptford High street (the former Noah's Ark pub) have been made public this month for public consultation. The move comes more than a year after I initially reported that an attempt to demolish the structure while full-height hoardings were in place was halted when a local resident reported unauthorised activity to the council. Since then the…
Plans announced by Barclays to close a slew of branches next January - including their branch in Deptford, the only bank remaining on the high street - will leave residents in Evelyn and New Cross wards without any local in-person access to banking services. After January, Barclays customers will have to travel to London Bridge to visit their nearest branch - and there will be little to be gained…
Changes to the way Lewisham Council makes decisions on its planning applications, which favour reducing the council's backlog of cases at the cost of transparency and public scrutiny, are now proposed to be retained until at least February 2021 - nearly a year since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown. The special measures were brought in three months ago when councillors agreed to temporary…
Campaigners are asking local residents and community groups in Deptford to write to the Planning Inspectorate to reiterate their objections against an application to build on land on the south edge of Charlotte Turner Gardens. The application for a new three-storey block of flats on McMillan Street was refused by Greenwich Council earlier this year on the grounds of being an 'unsympathetic and…
This week sees the first three detailed planning applications for the huge Convoys Wharf site on Lewisham's main river frontage come before the strategic planning committee. These applications were intended to be considered by the committee in March, but the meeting was postponed when lockdown conditions were imposed. Now they are back - and this Tuesday will be the subject of the first strategic…
The Albany Theatre will this week revive proposals to redevelop its outdated facilities - with funds for the work likely to come from construction of housing on the same site. The existing building has remained largely unchanged since it opened in 1982, and there's no question it needs updating and improving in order to make the most of its prime location. I've always thought its gloomy, dark…
Further to the previous stories, I have received the following statement from the developer, which is reproduced below in full: A spokesperson for developer Visionbell, comments: “Following commencement of the approved works, it was established by our professional team that the building was unstable and posed a significant danger to the public. We were advised by specialist structural engineers to…
Tuesday's shocking revelation that the former Noah's Ark pub, a landmark building at the entrance to Deptford High Street conservation area, had been torn down without permission prompted a swift response from Lewisham Council. After members of the Deptford Society reported the situation to Lewisham's senior conservation officer Joanna Ecclestone, council staff paid a visit to the site and ordered…
An unscrupulous developer has overseen the demolition of one of Deptford High Street's most prominent landmarks, under the guise of renovating the facade. The former Noah's Ark pub, at the north end of Deptford High Street at the junction with Creek Road, had lain empty and untouched for months, despite developer Visionbell Ltd having gained planning permission for residential conversion. In…
I realise not everyone has spare cash these days (and there are ways you can help these appeals other than by pledging) but if you want to support your local community here are three current crowdfunders that could have a real impact on Deptford. Save the arches! First up is actually a nationwide campaign led by Guardians of the Arches, representing tenants of railway arches all around the country…
It's now five months since the sudden announcement that Lewisham's newly-appointed - and much trumpeted - chief executive Ian Thomas would be leaving, after just seven months in the job. The council claimed that it was down to a 'change of direction' and that the decision was 'no negative reflection' on the then chief executive; other reports variously suggested it was either a case of egos…
On Tuesday Lewisham Council's strategic planning committee will meet to consider the planning application submitted for the corner of Creekside and Deptford Church Street, opposite the Bird's Nest. With approval being supported by the council's planning officers, I took a closer look at the details of the report and was concerned about what I found. I'm not talking specifically about the…
As the trees in Tidemill Garden were trashed last week, following the conclusion of the final stages of the judicial review and the handing over of the site to developer Peabody, Lewisham Council revealed that the eviction and subsequent months of 24-hour security had cost the council a total of almost £1.4 million. This information came in response to a public question at last week's council…
The fact that Lewisham Council spent £105k in a single day removing four people from Tidemill Garden has just been revealed in response to a number of FOI requests, and the figures will be made public at tomorrow night's council meeting in response to questions to the council. The council has refused to provide figures for the ongoing cost of securing the site since the day of the eviction. But in…
Since the heavy-handed eviction of Tidemill Garden almost a month ago, the site has been guarded 24 hours a day, seven days a week by a workforce of at least 50. I covered this in my previous blog post, the contents of which came as news to many observers in the wider SE London area who were aware of the eviction but not the ongoing levels of security and associated cost. In the last few days,…
In times of austerity there are two things that councils should be particularly scrupulous about. The first reads like a statement of the bleeding obvious. To be seen to be visibly wasting money is a massive no-no. When you are closing libraries, reducing children's services and slashing support for the vulnerable, any unnecessary spend or inefficient use of funds is going to rapidly attract the…
The fabulous and free Party in the Park is back in Fordham Park on 1st September with three stages for a host of local bands and musicians, community stalls and even a 'wellness' area! The Tent City will focus on local housing issues with talks and workshops looking at the serious housing problems that many local people face. The festival is descended from the legendary Deptford Urban Free…
Deptford's Save Reginald! Save Tidemill! campaign is trying to raise funds on Crowd Justice to challenge Lewisham Council's decision to demolish the council homes of Reginald House and the community-run Old Tidemill Wildlife Garden. The demolition is scheduled as part of a regeneration scheme of the Old Tidemill site in Deptford, London, and the community group wants to mount a judicial review…
A planning application has been submitted for the corner site of Creekside/Deptford Church Street for a mixed use development of housing and commercial units. The land on which the development is proposed, opposite the Birds Nest pub, is currently occupied by the MOT centre at 1 Creekside, and the adjoining unoccupied area which the council fenced off with hoardings a year or more ago. This…
Deptford's 999 Club is crowdfunding to raise £20,000 to open a Summer Shelter to provide space for 20 homeless people each night. Although they have already raised almost £6,000 they still have a long way to go and the appeal closes on 20 June 2018. This will be the only shelter in Lewisham and one of only three night shelters open in London over the summer. Most people are aware of the shelters…