Policy information sourced from Lewisham Core Strategy

2 Regeneration and Growth Areas

The Regeneration and Growth Areas will provide key regeneration and development opportunities focused on the localities of Lewisham, Catford, Deptford, Deptford Creekside and New Cross/New Cross Gate. In giving effect to the London Thames Gateway and the London Plan Opportunity Area designations, this strategy area will capitalise on public transport accessibility and the availability of deliverable and developable land, particularly through intensification of land uses in town centres and within mixed use employment locations.

The Council, working with its partners, will secure the necessary infrastructure to support the planned levels of growth and will maximise the physical, social and environmental regeneration opportunities new development will bring for the benefit of existing and future residents, to address deprivation issues, particularly health inequalities, to improve well-being.

The Regeneration and Growth Areas will support the creation of a more sustainable borough by being the prime location for new development comprising at least 14,975 new homes, 100,000 square metres of new and reconfigured employment floorspace (light industry, workshops, offices), and 62,000 square metres of new retail floorspace by 2026.

Lewisham Town Centre will:

  • be designated as a Major town centre, and will be further developed so that by 2026 it achieves Metropolitan status on the London-wide retail hierarchy and continues to contribute to the local night-time economy
  • accommodate up to 40,000 square metres of additional retail floorspace and 4,300 square metres of additional leisure floorspace by 2026
  • accommodate up to 1,500 additional new homes by 2016 and a further 1,100 additional new homes by 2026 
  • contain a Local Employment Location (LEL) at Molesworth Street
  • be one of the borough’s preferred locations for new office development 6. contain a strategic development site, the Lewisham Gateway, which will act as a catalyst for regeneration of the town centre.

The Council will prepare an area action plan for the Lewisham Town Centre to ensure the forecast growth is managed and delivered. The area action plan is the implementation and delivery plan for the changes that will occur in the town centre during this period. In particular, it will provide a detailed planning and implementation strategy for major opportunity sites within the town centre.

Catford Town Centre will:

  • be designated as a Major town centre with new development seeking to maintain and enhance its status, to secure its physical regeneration and ensure its continued contribution to the local night-time economy
  • build on its role as the civic heart of the borough
  • accommodate up to 22,000 square metres of additional retail floorspace by 2026 
  • accommodate 650 additional new homes by 2016 and up to 1,100 additional new homes by 2026 5. be one of the borough’s preferred locations for new office development.

The Council will prepare an area action plan for the Catford Town Centre to ensure the forecast growth is managed and delivered. The area action plan is the implementation and delivery plan for the changes that will occur in the town centre during this period. In particular, it will provide a detailed planning and implementation strategy for major opportunity sites within the town centre.

Deptford, Deptford Creekside, New Cross/New Cross Gate area will:

  • accommodate up to 2,300 additional new homes by 2016 and a further additional 8,325 new homes by 2026 
  • support a vibrant network of town centres with Deptford and New Cross/New Cross Gate designated as District town centres, the location for major new retail and leisure development within this area, including their contribution to the local night-time economy
  • contain Neighbourhood local shopping centres at Evelyn Street and Lewisham Way
  • support smaller-scale local retail uses on site where larger scale redevelopment occurs
  • contain four strategic development sites (Convoys Wharf, Surrey Canal Triangle, Oxestalls Road and Plough Way) which will act as a catalyst for regeneration of the area
  • support regeneration and growth through the redevelopment of designated underutilised employment sites for a mix of uses including residential and a significant element of employment space, at Mixed Use Employment Locations (MELs)
  • contain a core supply of defined employment land at Surrey Canal which will be designated a Strategic Industrial Location (SIL) in the London context and will only be used for employment and waste uses, capable of meeting the requirements of the London Plan for land that will meet the need to maintain the industrial and commercial functioning of London as a whole
  • contain Local Employment Locations (LELs) at Evelyn Street, Lewisham Way and Lower Creekside in order to provide local employment opportunities and, in the case of Lower Creekside (Deptford), to ensure the retention of the creative industries
  • retain a scattering of other small business premises where viable
  • use development opportunities to improve connectivity throughout the area for pedestrians and cyclists and provide new accessible public spaces and contribute to improving the relationship with the River Thames
  • contain a new railway station at Surrey Canal Road as part of the East London Line extension (London Overground)
  • contain further and higher education facilities at Lewisham College and Goldsmiths College (University of London).

For more information please see the Core Strategy