Overview of the Woolwich area

Woolwich is a famous historic town, set on the Thames with a wealth of high quality buildings.

It benefits from good transport infrastructure including the Docklands Light Railway and the Elizabeth line which bring Docklands, the City and the West End within easy reach.

The redesign of General Gordon Square and Beresford Square and the new Woolwich Centre confirmed Woolwich's place as the Royal Borough's civic and cultural centre.

Funding has now been secured from the government’s Future High Street Fund and from Historic England for further improvements in and around the town centre. We want your help to shape the project - and make sure we all get the town centre that we want and can be proud of. Read more about how you can have your say on the proposals.

Royal Arsenal

The Royal Arsenal site occupies 36 hectares of riverside land. The former munitions site, where up to 120,000 people oncee worked, will see over 5,000 new homes built, alongside new parks, squares, leisure & retail facilities and 450,000sqft of light industrial employment space. 

Construction commenced in 2001 and will continue until 2030. Over 3,500 homes have been built to date, 23 listed buildings have been renovated, 1,300 jobs created and over 500 trees planted. A range of community facilities have been developed including a pharmacy, dentist, health centre and nursery. 

Woolwich Works

A series of proposed developments on the banks of the River Thames at Woolwich will bring a set of historic buildings back into use to house cultural organisations and industries. The new creative quarter will deliver new jobs and skills in the borough, working with Greenwich Local Labour and Business (GLLaB) to employ local people and create apprenticeships.

Elizabeth line (Crossrail)

Elizabeth line services have now started from Woolwich and Abbey Wood, providing high speed connections to Canary Wharf, Central London and Heathrow.

Beresford Street crossing and junction improvement

The new Crossrail station entrance opens out on to Dial Arch Square, a green space, flanked with a series of Grade I and II listed buildings. This scheme built a bespoke wide crossing area enabling pedestrians and cyclists to safely and conveniently cross the busy A206 – bringing a stronger connection between the Royal Arsenal and Woolwich town centre.

Woolwich Leisure Centre

The Council s building a new leisure centre in Woolwich. The new centre will replace the existing Waterfront Leisure Centre and will be situated on the current site of Viscount House, next to General Gordon Square. The Waterfront Leisure Centre will remain open until the new leisure centre is fully open.

Woolwich Estates

The Woolwich Estates regeneration project consists of the demolition and redevelopment of the Connaught, Morris Walk and Maryon Road and Grove estates.

Woolwich Exchange

Woolwich Exchange is the proposed regeneration of the land around the former Woolwich covered market between Plumstead Road and Spray Street.

The development will provide 801 new homes and high quality facilities for businesses and leisure uses, including restaurants, cafes, bars and community space, as well as a five-screen cinema within the Grade II listed former Woolwich covered market.

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