Plans to knock down Woolwich pub thrown out by Greenwich Council

Plans to demolish a 175-year-old Woolwich pub and replace it with seven flats and a commercial unit have been refused by Greenwich Council planning officers.

The Anglesea Arms on Woolwich New Road closed in January, when developer Jayraj Shah applied for permission to demolish the building and build a four-storey block.

The commercial unit was supposed to be “a space for gathering the local community” to mitigate the loss of the pub.

There were 10 objections from residents, who said that no attempt had been made to keep it open. Local councillor Sam Littlewood also objected to the loss of the pub, pointing out that the building was on the local heritage list. 

Greenwich’s conservation officer also objected to the plans, saying: “The building represents an important community asset, and the photographs of the interior indicate it is in a poor condition, due to deliberate or unintentional neglect.

“I do not support its demolition as it represents a prominent and rare (within the context of the town centre) Victorian structure which makes a positive contribution and enhances the character and appearance of the conservation area.”

Planning officers rejected the proposal before it could be decided by councillors, saying that Shah had not provided enough information to show that the pub was no longer commercially viable, and that the pub was considered  “an important social community asset”.

They also took issue with the planned flats, saying: “It has failed to be demonstrated that the proposed development would allow for seven residential units to be provided on the site of a suitable quality of accommodation.”

Neighbours would also be adversely affected by the development, they said.

📩 Follow The Greenwich Wire on Bluesky, Facebook, LinkedIn or Threads. You can also sign up for WhatsApp alerts – or subscribe to our emails through the blue box above.

Cameron Blackshaw is the Local Democracy Reporter for Greenwich. The Local Democracy Reporting Service is a BBC-funded initiative to ensure councils are covered properly in local media.