From the opening of the DLR in 1999 to the opening of a new theatre in 2022 – here are some of the big changes that have happened in Greenwich High Road since 1945.

Greenwich High Road runs between Greenwich Town Centre up to Deptford and is made up of over 40 businesses.

We’ve compared images from Google between 1945 and 2022 and have rounded up some of the biggest changes that have happened in that time.

Here are some of them:

The DLR

One of the biggest changes that has happened since the satellite image from 1945 is the addition of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

The DLR first opened in 1897 with 11 single-car trains and 15 stations, comprising of two routes from Tower Gateway to Island Gardens and Stafford to Island Gardens.

Construction on the extension from Island Gardens to Greenwich and Lewisham began in 1996 and this section of the network first opened in November 1999.

The DLR was alongside the existing railway - The London and Greenwich Railway (L&GR) which was opened in London between 1836 and 1838.

Wavelengths Leisure Pool and Library

At the top left hand of the satellite photo in 2022 you can see the addition of the Wavelengths Leisure Centre near Deptford Creek marked by the blue octagonal building.

According to Lewisham Heritage, the Wavelengths Leisure Pool and Library opened in July 1991 and in 2022, the Leisure Pool reopened following an £800,000 refurbishment by Lewisham Council.

Laban Theatre

The Laban Theatre first opened in 2022 and is located on the north side of Deptford Creek.

Open from 6:30pm till late daily, this theatre offers a mix of dance an installation performances for up to 300 people in its Bonnie Bird auditorium.

Greenwich Business Park

Another modern addition to the landscape was Greenwich Centre Business Park on the south side of Deptford Creek which opened sometime between 1945 and 2022.

The business park accompanies several new buildings, residential blocks and other industrial estates in the area.

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New hotels

Since 1945, some new hotels have joined the Greenwich High Road landscape including a Premier Inn near the DLR extension to the south west which was first built in 2011.

Further hotels were built between 1945 and 2022 including a Travelodge and a Novotel as well as additional businesses just below the railway as shown in the image from 2022.