Lewisham Council is planning to build nearly 8,000 new homes across the central part of the borough.  

The council is consulting on its draft local plan, which sets out its long-term development strategy until 2040.    

The final version is expected to be adopted by the council between summer and autumn of 2022.  

The council is hoping that 27,267 new homes will be built across the borough by 2040.  

The plan, which will feed into planning decisions, is divided into central, north, east, south, and west.  

See related: Local Plan: Lewisham's vision for north

Lewisham draft local plan: West

Lewisham Local Plan: East​

Lewisham's vision for the south​

Lewisham’s central area contains the neighbourhoods of Lewisham, Hither Green, and Catford. 

The housing target for the area is 7,901, with 98,000sqm of potential workspace allocated in the plan.  

A significant amount of new development is focussed on the town centres of Lewisham and Catford. 

Key plans include Transport for London (TfL) realigning the South Circular Road through Catford town centre.  

The plans, which would see the South Circular re-routed to the south of Lawrence House, are expected to be implemented in the next five to ten years. 

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According to the council’s vision for the area: “By 2040 the linked but complementary town centres of Lewisham and Catford will evolve as vibrant hubs of commercial, cultural, civic and community activity.  

“The character and role of the centres, and the A21 corridor that connects them, will be re-imagined by building on the area’s many attributes and excellent transport links.  

“The arrival of the Bakerloo line together with the modernisation of Lewisham interchange will open opportunities for everyone to benefit from. 

“New housing, including a high proportion of genuinely affordable housing, business space and jobs, and community facilities will be focussed along the A21 corridor, encompassing Lewisham and Catford town centres, as well as out-of-centre retail parks.”

Key objectives for the area include securing the delivery of the Bakerloo line extension and Lewisham interchange upgrade, renewing the Lewisham and Catford centres, securing the re-routing of the South Circular (A205), making the A21 corridor safer and easier for walking, cycling and public transport, and developing industrial land at Bromley Road. 

Objectives also include enhancing the environmental quality and amenity value of the Ravensbourne and Quaggy Rivers, while improving public access to them, and protecting green spaces and improving links between them.  

Site allocations  

Lewisham Gateway 

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The site, beside Lewisham LDR station and train station, is set to be home to a large development, including shops, new offices, a hotel, restaurants and bars, flats, a gym, and a cinema.  

Planning permission was granted to Lewisham Gateway Developments more than a decade ago and construction has already started. More than 350 homes have already been built.  

Number of new homes: 1,057 

Lewisham Shopping Centre 

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Owner Landsec is planning to redevelop the site. It launched a public consultation last year and the results are expected to be published soon.  

The council expects a mixed-use development with commercial, community and residential uses.  

A development requirement is for Lewisham market to be protected.  

Potential new homes: 1,579 

Land at Engate Street 

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The council believes this site has potential for a mixed-use redevelopment of shops and new homes, while improving access to the River Ravensbourne.

Potential new homes: 193 

Conington Road 

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This site, a carpark in Lewisham Road, has been earmarked has having potential for hundreds of new homes, new cycle and walking routes, river restoration, and shops.  

Planning permission for three buildings, one 34 storeys high, was refused by the Mayor of London in 2019.  

The application from MB Homes Lewisham Limited, which proposed shops, 365 flats, offices, and a gym, was rejected because it did not offer enough affordable housing. 

Potential new homes: 367 

Land at Conington Road and Lewisham Road (Tesco) 

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The site, home to Tesco and a carpark, could be redeveloped to provide hundreds of homes, shops, improved walking and cycling routes, and river restoration.  

Potential new homes: 380 

It is unclear what whether Tesco would stay or go.  

Molesworth Street Car Park 

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The council would like to see the carpark used to house new workspace, but no new homes.  

Lewisham Retail Park, Loampit Vale 

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Planning permission was granted to Legal and General to redevelop this site in 2019. The plans include demolishing all current buildings to be replaced with new homes, shops, and restaurants.  

The buildings are expected to be between four and 24 stores in height. No work has started on this development yet.  

New homes: 536 

Land at Loampit Vale and Thurston Road (Carpetright) 

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Planning permission was granted to redevelop this site, formerly home to Carpetright, in 2018.  

A significant amount of construction work on the two buildings – 16 and 30 storeys - has already been done, and the final development is set to include shops, restaurants, new homes, and a new entrance to Lewisham station.   

New homes: 242 

Silver Road and Axion House 

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London Square Development was granted planning permission to redevelop this industrial land in 2020.  

Plans include demolishing Axion House and building blocks between five and 16 storeys, made up of flats, offices and shops.  

New homes: 141 approved 

PLACE/Ladywell (Former Ladywell Leisure Centre) 

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This site is home to redeployable housing created to be relocated easily. It was set to moved to make way to more than 200 homes but it emerged earlier in the year that it could be too costly to do so.  

PLACE, ‘a pop-up village’ owned by Lewisham Council, has housed homeless families since it opened on the site of a former leisure centre in 2016.  

Not moving the housing would mean the number of homes built in the first phase would reduce from 232 to 69, though the figure is indicative at this stage and the council is hoping to build “as many as possible”.   

New homes: 224 

Ladywell Play Tower 

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The council is planning to redevelop this site, though it is taking much longer than expected.  

The grade II listed building, which was built as a public swimming baths in 1884, was bought by developer Guildmore and Curzon nearly four years ago after it initially closed in 2004. 

The development is expected to be mixed-use, while the Grade II listed Ladywell Bath would be restored.  

Potential new homes: 33 

Driving Test Centre, Nightingale Grove 

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The council believes this site has potential to be redeveloped into residential and commercial uses. The workspace would have to be re-provided elsewhere.  

The mature trees on the site must be protected, according to the plan.  

Potential new homes: 40 

Land at Nightingale Grove and Maythorne Cottages 

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This site is currently home to some vacant land and car services. The existing planning permission is for a four storey building made up of an MOT testing station and eight flats.  

New homes: 42 

Church Grove Self-Build 

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Planning permission for this development, which involves 33 sustainable, self-build (and customised) homes, was granted in December. Work has started.  

New homes: 33 approved  

Land to the rear of Chiddingstone House 

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Planning permission has been granted for a part two, three, and four-storey building to provide specialist housing for older people.  

“Chiddingstone House must be retained,” according to the plan.  

New homes: 53 

100 to 114 Loampit Vale 

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This site is currently used for MOT services. The council believes it could be redeveloped to provide new homes and shops.  

Potential new homes: 29 

Ravensbourne Retail Park 

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This site has been earmarked as having potential for a mixed-use development of flats and shops.

Potential new homes: 343 

Catford Shopping Centre and Milford Towers 

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This site, owned by the council-owned Catford Regeneration Partnership Ltd (CRPL), is set to be completely redeveloped to provide new homes, shops, and community uses.  

“It is key to the transformation of Catford and will act as a major catalyst for local area regeneration, as part of a comprehensive masterplan framework incorporating a number of key sites,” according to the plan.  

Potential new homes: 1,084 

Plassy Road Island 

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Planning permission to demolish the Catford Timber Yard and build an eight-storey building of 42 flats and office space was granted to Catford Homes on appeal in 2019.  

The council believes it could be further developed.  

Potential new homes: 602 

Lawrence House and Civic Centre 

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The council has plans to redevelop its buildings into homes, and main town centre uses, including civic and cultural uses. 

The Broadway Theatre must be protected.  

Potential new homes: 262 

Wickes and Halfords, Catford Road 

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The site, currently home to Wickes and Halfords, has potential for a mixed-used redevelopment with flats and shops.  

“Redevelopment will also enable public realm and environmental improvements to be delivered, with key opportunities to reinstate the River Ravensbourne,” according to the plan.  

Potential new homes: 512 

Land at Rushey Green and Bradgate Road (Aldi) 

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This site, home to Aldi, could be redeveloped into shops and new homes, according to the council.  

Potential new homes: 119 

House on the Hill at Slaithewaite Road 

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The council believes this site, home to buildings formerly used for specialist short stay care, could be redeveloped into flats.  

“Redevelopment provides an opportunity bring the site back into active residential use, with opportunities to deliver an increase in housing units. 

“There are a number of trees of quality located within the site, particularly along its boundary, which must be retained,” according to the plan. 

Potential new homes: 36 

Land at Randlesdown Road and Bromley Road 

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The council has earmarked this industrial land as having potential for an employment-led redevelopment with no new homes.