Skip to main content

Future Abbey Wood, Plumstead and Woolwich: Shape how your area will look, feel and work

Beresford Square in Woolwich town centre

 

We are developing long-term plans for Abbey Wood, Plumstead and Woolwich to guide how each area could grow and change over the next 10 years.  

These plans, known as Urban Regeneration Frameworks, will set out a shared vision and priorities for each area to help shape future investment, regeneration and improvement while building on what makes each place distinctive.  

We want to hear from people who live, work, study, or regularly use these areas. You can take part by completing an online survey or attending one of the engagement events. Your views will help identify local priorities and ambitions and inform the development of the frameworks.  

How to get involved  

Help shape the ambitious and bold visions for each area.  

Find out what’s happening in your area:

About Urban Regeneration Frameworks (URFs) 

These set out the opportunities and challenges in an area and guide coordinated development and investment to help it thrive.  

We have commissioned specialist teams to create URFs for Abbey Wood, Plumstead and Woolwich. These will be shaped through engagement with local communities, businesses, groups, landowners and other stakeholders. Each URF will reflect their priorities and ambitions, creating a practical 10-year blueprint for regeneration.  

The frameworks will champion inclusive change rooted in the unique identities of the people and places they cover. They will support delivery of the Local Plan vision and objectives by providing a wealth of detail to support future development and growth in the three areas. 

Why we are doing this now 

Significant investment has occurred in these neighbourhoods over the last decade, bringing housing, public realm, community, cultural and transport improvements. However, major shifts, such as Brexit, the pandemic and rising living costs, have changed how we live and work. We need plans that reflect today’s challenges and opportunities, ensuring these areas are resilient in the future. 

Abbey Wood, Plumstead and Woolwich are important town centres with the potential to become even better places to live, work and visit. There are opportunities to support healthier, more active lives, reduce isolation and strengthen an inclusive local economy. To do this, we need joined-up approaches that connect housing, workplaces, transport, public spaces and essential services. The frameworks will be collaborative and partnership-focused, shaped by local community and stakeholder engagement, to ensure that proposed changes respond to specific place-based needs. 

How the Local Plan and URFs fit together

The Local Plan sets the overall direction for how Royal Greenwich should grow, including ambitions for new homes, stronger town centres, better public spaces, sustainable transport and fair, inclusive regeneration. 

The URFs turn this direction into practical, place-specific plans. They explore what the Local Plan means for each of the three areas, accounting for local needs, priorities and day-to-day experiences. 

What the Urban Regeneration Frameworks will deliver

The URFs will be strategic guides for each area, showing how individual projects can work together to create great places to live, work and spend time. 

Each URF will be produced in 3 parts, shaped by engagement with residents and stakeholders throughout:

  • Part 1: A strong evidence base
  • Part 2: A shared vision
  • Part 3: A framework

Part 1: A strong evidence base

This will capture each area’s character, communities, heritage and socio-economic context, outlining key challenges and opportunities for growth over the next decade. 

Part 2: A shared vision

This will turn local priorities and ambitions into a coordinated approach to growth and investment. 

Part 3: A framework

This will identify potential development sites and opportunities to improve public spaces, user experience and other physical investments that can drive long-term, positive change and support vibrant, sustainable town centres. 

How we'll use the Urban Regeneration Frameworks

The URFs will set out prioritised delivery plans for us and our partners to implement over the next 10 years. They will serve as a blueprint for anyone investing in these areas, helping to achieve coherent, connected improvements that maximise benefits for local communities and strengthen each town centre. 

The URFs will support our 10-year Regeneration Plan and support delivery of the emerging Local Plan (2026–2041). 

Timeline

  • Winter 2025 - Research and engagement to understand opportunities and priorities in each area 
  • Spring 2026 - Draft town centre visions produced and consulted on 
  • Summer 2026 - Draft Framework created and shared for feedback 
  • Winter 2026 - Frameworks finalised and adopted  

Contact us

If you have questions or want to get involved, email: regeneration@royalgreenwich.gov.uk