Greenwich Council’s Planning Board gave the the go-ahead to the University of Greenwich’s Stockwell Street redevelopment last night – despite a withering assessment of the project by council leader, Chris Roberts.
The £76 million project will see the construction of a new dedicated School of Architecture and Construction in Greenwich town centre at the site of the old Village Market. A new university library will be also be included, as well as public areas such as a gallery and coffee shop.
Professor Neil Garrod, Deputy Vice-Chancellor from the University of Greenwich, told councillors that this was a “once in a generation opportunity.”
He described how the building has been designed to be as “porous as possible,” with the “whole ground floor open to the public.” A new public walkway will be created adjacent to the railway cutting, connecting Stockwell Street and King William Walk, subject to an agreement with Network Rail.
27 objections were raised with the council and residents from King William Walk attended the meeting to voice their concerns that servicing for the building would take place in areas bordering residential properties.
Before the project can begin, the 1960s office building, John Humphreys House, will be demolished. Local industrial historian, and councillor, Mary Mills told the Planning Board that she wanted to see more recognition of the building’s role as a pioneering council computer centre and that “we should be a bit more proud” of it.
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) described the the Heneghan Peng-designed proposal as “exciting”, adding that it was “well designed with an intelligent internal organisation.”
Cllr Steve Offord said it would be a “tremendous asset” to Greenwich. Cllr Denise Hyland, said she was “impressed” by the scheme.
Following the expressions of support from his colleagues, Leader of the Council, Cllr Chris Roberts spoke strongly against the proposals.
“I can’t like this building,” he told them, adding that they would “repent at leisure” if the scheme was passed. If he walked past it, he said, he would look over the road and “prefer the architecture of the Ibis [hotel],” prompting laughter in the public gallery.
The project received the backing of the Board with a 6-2 vote. The decision is subject to approval by the Mayor of London.
Commenting afterwards, Professor Neil Garrod said: “We are very pleased to have won the support of the local authority and we will continue to work closely with all our neighbours in Greenwich as the project takes shape.”
I spoke at the planning meeting on Thursday on behalf those residents on King William Walk and Nevada Street who will be affected by the service area of the development.
When I first heard that Greenwich University was taking over the site at Stockwell Street for the School of Architecture, I was thrilled with the prospect of a modern, sympathetic development following all best practices. Sadly, I am disappointed with the consideration given to the impact of this build upon local residents. After months of consultation, mainly consultation by omission, our concerns about the servicing of the entire commercial building being directly behind our homes have been ignored.
Given that this is to be a flagship build for the University’s School of Architecture, it is more than a little disappointing that they could not better consider the impact on local residents. Surely on a 0.65hectare site that bounds both the railway line and Stockwell Street, there was somewhere more appropriate to locate plant and servicing?
More distressing now, is the revelation that there will be a temporary electrical substation 19 feet from the back of our homes. Temporary being for a minimum of three years with potential to extend the term. The more cynical amongst us believe that it is only a matter of time before an application is submitted to make this temporary location permanent. We can but hope that the council listen to our complaints and that the substation will be relocated.
Dont bother complaining to MP communist Nick R, who couldnt give a monkeys ….
Any movement on covering the railway line!
Or better still covering Nick R, Frank, Greenwich Hospital and useless council under foundations!
Thanks Rob – what I actually asked the Board to consider – athough that wasn’t picked up -was a plaque of some sort on the new building in relation to John Humpheries House. It was the first local authority computer centre -purpose built by the Borough of Greenwich for a consortium of six London boroughs who came together in the early 1960s with a vision for integrated computer services to local government on a scale we have hardly achieved even today.