This area, split between Plumstead and Woolwich, is an up-and-coming section of the Borough of Greenwich. Served by both Plumstead rail station and the expanding Woolwich transport hub, this Zone 4 neighbourhood is a welcome escape from the busyness of Central London. Whilst it has mostly been characterised by its small Victorian terraced houses, large blocks of council flats, and an economically tired business district, this is now changing! With the Elizabeth Line now open, the area is attracting new residents and business ventures. The neighbourhood recently welcomed a new foodie haven, Woolwich Public Market. Brought to the area by the creators of Dinerama, the market hosts trendy favourites but also local eateries that were struggling to pay rent. With all of these, as well as the plethora of schools in the area, the neighbourhood is expecting to see families and young professionals flocking in the coming years.

This area became populated mostly by workers and their families when nearby Woolwich Arsenal opened at the start of the 19th century; however, as the arsenal began to downsize in the early twentieth century, the population declined as did the economic life in the area. Following WWII, the council realised the need to invest in the neighbourhood, and built multiple large social housing projects. The most famous of these was the Thamesmead estate which featured in Stanley Kubrick’s infamous 1972 adaptation of A Clockwork Orange. These flats helped make the area affordable, attracting working-class Londoners, as well as those moving to the city from all over the world. However, they soon gained an infamous reputation, with the brutalist architecture of Thamesmead in particular, becoming synonymous with crime and the disintegration of working class communities.

This neighbourhood is home to The Pashupatinath & Nepali Community Centre, Europe’s first Shiva Temple. Knowing this, it’s not surprising to hear that Plumstead is home to London’s largest Nepali population.

While the area was once full of affordable housing options, the incoming regeneration plans have the potential to jeopardise these residents.

Greenwich Council will be redeveloping large portions of this area to bring over 700 new homes, a cinema, shops, and a new town square. Residents are concerned about what this development will do to the small-town character of the neighbourhood, as well as their ability to afford the area. Fortunately, some of these new developments, like the Kinetic in Cannon Square, will have affordable housing units available within them.

The biggest change impacting this area has been the completion of the Elizabeth Line and the opening of Woolwich underground station. This formerly isolated part of South East London now has trains running to Canary Wharf in under five minutes as well as to central London and Heathrow. It is expected that this will bring a wave of new development in the coming years. The 5,000 new homes promised by the Royal Arsenal Riverside development, as well as the 800 new homes included in the Woolwich Exchange in the west of this neighbourhood, are two of the foremost examples of this new interest. Similar high density developments are also planned between 125 and 129 Woolwich High Street as well as King Henry’s Dock on Europe Road, providing over 350 homes collectively.