The arrival of Crossrail in Abbey Wood is expected to bring new investment into an area cut off from the rest of London.

Abbey Wood's neighbour Thamesmead is the only town in London without a rail link so the arrival of Crossrail will bring big changes to the area.

Greenwich Council cabinet member for regeneration Councillor Danny Thorpe believes Crossrail will be a 'game changer' for a community which has lacked opportunities.

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Coun Thorpe said: "Crossrail is a game changer for us as a borough, us having two stations is a big success.

"SE28 is the only postcode in London without a rail link and for us it will be the game changer for the place, with 12 trains going in and out of Abbey Wood every hour."

Crossrail will deliver 200 new homes, a hotel, a new public square, a new supermarket and a new library to Abbey Wood.

Despite the incoming investment, Coun Thorpe stated there would be a lot of incoming challenges to the development of Abbey Wood.

He said: "We need to make sure it's changed for the better because regeneration doesn't just involve spending a lot of money.

"I think people living here really value living in this place and now they will be provided with fantastic opportunities.

"People who live here view these community shops as a village, so we need to keep that community spirit in the area.

"It's also predicted that Crossrail will be full by 2030 so we will need to improve transport infrastructure in the area to be ready for this."

To preserve the community feel of places like Abbey Wood and to support residents, Greenwich Council have promised to take a tough stance on new developers in the area.

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This includes potentially being the first council in the UK to introduce an affordable housing quota, where new developments must contain at least 35% affordable housing or submit public plans explaining why they aren't providing that.

Coun Thorpe explained people from Abbey Wood and south-east London in general often do not feel part of London and this would be changed by Crossrail.

"I teach at Woolwich Poly and the idea that my kids can think of themselves as Londoners and have job opportunities at Canary Wharf is a good thing.

"If you go to Heathrow it can take you two hours and an hour and a half later after you've checked in you feel fed up whereas on Crossrail you'll be there in 51 minutes."

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The Crossrail station is expected to be fully operational by 2018.

Network Rail will finish work at the site in 2017 when it will be handed over for Crossrail to run tests before the