Council planners have given their backing to plans for 1,251 new homes on top of Greenwich Ikea’s car park, with councillors due to give their verdict next week. But Ikea itself is among the objectors, saying its six-year-old store would be seriously affected by the proposals.
Officers have recommended that the council’s planning board approves the plan for seven blocks of between nine and 20 storeys. An acoustic screen would shield lower floors from the A102, which runs alongside the site.
While the cinema and restaurants at the Millennium Retail Park would remain, the B&Q/Tradepoint store would be demolished to make way for the scheme – although parts of the warehouse would be reused for a new community centre on the site. The Sainsbury’s petrol station is not part of the site.
Plans to build on the car park were first put forward by the developer London Square in 2021, but were withdrawn in June last year, citing spiralling costs.
Instead the Singapore-based landowner Weybourne is taking forward the scheme itself. Weybourne is owned by Sir James Dyson, the inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner who went on to be a vociferous supporter of Britain’s exit from the EU.
The development, which would take six years to build, would include 304 affordable-rent homes, which would be available to those on the council’s 28,000-strong waiting list and is a key factor in officers supporting the scheme. Another 104 homes would be for shared ownership, hitting the council’s 35 per cent target for “affordable” homes.
It would also include retail and leisure units, workspace, a small park and play areas dotted around the site.
The current car parking on the retail park would be reduced from 1,066 to 856 – and the new estate would be “car-free”, with residents banned from using the retail park’s spaces or getting permits for local streets, although 38 blue-badge spaces would be included. Over 2,200 cycle parking spaces would be included.
Council officers say that the plan will “deliver significant public benefits” including new jobs – although that depends on what the retail units and workspace are used for – and the new community centre.
But a lingering disagreement with Ikea looms over the development. The Swedish retail giant – who opened up on the site in 2019, five years after winning planning permission – has filed an objection and declined to reduce car parking use further. In response, the developer has reduced plans for green space on the site and for shopfronts along the busway.
“ Ikea drew attention to the £113 million invested in its Greenwich store, which they argue is a key anchor for the retail offer on the Greenwich Peninsula,” the report to councillors said. “They considered the proposed development to have a significant adverse impact on their retail operations.”
“Since receiving the objection, officers, the Council’s Highways team, and the applicant have met with Ikea to discuss the proposals. During these discussions, council officers reminded Ikea of its own commitments to reducing on-site parking as part of its existing planning permission.
“Officers understand that negotiations between Ikea and the applicant have since progressed, including discussions on a revised lease agreement. However, at the time of writing, no formal agreement has been reached, and Ikea has confirmed that its objection remains in place.”
Ikea told The Greenwich Wire: “We believe that Ikea Greenwich plays a vital role in the local area and for Ikea in London. Ikea has formally raised concerns about how the proposal may affect our operations and our ability to provide a convenient and accessible experience for customers.
“We have been committed to working closely and collaborating with the local council and landlords to find a resolution that benefits both our customers and the local community.”
Other objections came from the Greenwich Society, which objected because of the lack of a healthcare facility on site – the NHS has accepted £1.2 million instead, most of which would go towards upgrading acute care at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, with £60,000 for local GP services.
The Charlton Society also submitted a number of objections, saying that the lack of residents’ parking meant that “parking will spill into surrounding areas like Charlton, increasing parking pressure and necessitating new Controlled Parking Zones”.
Other objections related to the amount of development in the area, pollution from the A102, the effect on local bus services, litter, the loss of the B&Q and the effect on residents of Tunnel Avenue, which is on the other side of the A102.
One resident said the council had lost a chance to develop the land into “a badly needed recreational area with a small running track, football and basketball courts, even tennis courts” – the land had been a sports ground for British Gas until the end of the 1980s,
Transport for London requested £1.08 million to fund two extra morning peak time bus journeys, but will only get £648,000. Council officers said that TfL had not responded to requests to justify the cost, or to an enquiry as to whether the Silvertown Tunnel’s opening had reduced bus overcrowding.
The officers also declined a suggestion from TfL that the developer put money into an expansion of the Santander Cycles scheme into the area, saying that existing hire bikes would be sufficient.
Hopes that the development would fund improvements to the Angerstein roundabout have been left up on the air – the developer has agreed to put £850,000 towards improvements to improve walking and cycling in the vicinity of the site, but beyond a commitment to build a new crossing at Bugsbys Way, there are no specifics as to what these would include. When Ikea was given permission in 2014, a similar commitment was made to spend £750,000 on improving pedestrian and cycle access.
Figures supplied to The Greenwich Wire in 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information request indicated that £260,000 that was earmarked for improving access to nearby Tube and rail stations was instead mostly spent on street lighting.
Greenwich’s planning board will discuss the plans on Tuesday June 17. Councillors are also due to give a verdict on plans for nearly 600 student rooms next to Deptford Creek that were deferred last month.
Updated at 11.40am on Friday to add a statement from Ikea and again on June 17 to remove an incorrect reference to Weybourne being Ikea’s landlord.
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