A substantial redevelopment plan for Lewisham shopping centre was approved last night, setting the stage for the construction of hundreds of new homes.
Officials from Lewisham Council voted in favour of plans to overhaul the 1970s complex, a move that will result in the creation of 1,700 new homes, 660 student accommodations and 445 co-living spaces, as reported by .
FTSE 100 developer Landsec has announced it will also construct a 500-seat culture, music and arts venue aimed at revitalising the area's night-time economy, along with a new public green space featuring three new squares and over 300 trees.
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Mike Hood, COO of Landsec, expressed his excitement: "This is an exciting moment for the future of Lewisham's town centre."
"These plans provide much-needed homes, community spaces and facilities that will enhance urban life for generations, while delivering sustainable returns that support our ambition for long-term growth."
'Comprehensive redevelopment'
The 'comprehensive redevelopment' will involve the demolition of the existing shopping mall and adjacent multistory car park, although developers assure there will be a "reimagined" shopping centre with the same amount of floor space.
The project will be executed in six phases and could take up to a decade to complete.
The planning application for the development garnered 784 responses from the public, with 105 objections and 637 expressions of support.
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However, the plans have faced opposition from some locals, with nearly 1,000 signatures gathered on a petition labelling the proposals as "a blueprint for gentrification."
A spokesperson for Landsec commented: "We've spent years working with the community to design our plans, many elements of which such as the meadow on top of the shopping centre, community-owned music venue, model market re-opening and both covered and uncovered shopping areas were ideas thought-up by local people.
"The comprehensive redevelopment also includes over 1,700 homes – 20 per cent of which will be a mix of different affordable housing options to rent, including social housing and London Living Rent homes for key workers."