Woolwich’s regeneration centred on new jobs and quality housing

The administrative capital of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Woolwich was a long-neglected part of south-east London but has been undergoing substantial regeneration in recent years.

The town’s inclusion on the DLR network in 2009 brought The City Docklands within easy reach of the Zone 4 Woolwich Arsenal station, with a short commute into London Bridge, Charing Cross and Cannon Street from Zone 3 Woolwich Dockyard. From 2018, a brand new Crossrail station opens up the Elizabeth Line’s connections through central London to Heathrow and Reading.

Complementing such major investment in transport are thousands of new homes, some renewing old stock in existing residential areas and others making new use of abandoned former industrial sites.

Of the latter, perhaps the most significant is Royal Arsenal Riverside, where Berkeley Homes is building some 5,000 new homes on the ex-military site, a munitions works for over 300 years until it closed in 1994. A huge range of properties is being built from old and brand new buildings, side-by-side with a gastropub, shops and services and a museum recounting the area’s heritage, with aspirational residents able to choose from a significant proportion of affordable homes.

Woolwich’s town centre has also seen improvement, with new shops moving in, new jobs created and old homes being renewed, with work on the area west of General Gordon Square starting in 2011.

East of Belmarsh Prison and west of Thamesmead, the White Hart Triangle is a derelict area outlined for new business space, combining offices with industrial units and warehousing.

Three existing estates – Connaught, Morris Walk and Maryon Road and Grove – are earmarked for demolition and redevelopment, replacing outdated social housing with new homes for rent and Shared Ownership.

The current population of around 71,000 in Woolwich is set to expand as new employment opportunities, new transport links and new homes take shape across the historic town.

New homes for sale in and around Woolwich:

Notting Hill Housing’s Shared Ownership properties on the Royal Arsenal Riverside development are available at Drummond House. Eligible buyers can initially purchase as little as 25% of a £335,000 one-bedroom apartment, at a cost of £83,750, with the option to buy a greater share at a later time. Two-bedroom apartments are also available with an initial share under £100,000.

Those looking for a full ownership at this flagship development can consider the latest choice from developer Berkeley Homes, where prices start at £440,000 and rise through a range of sizes and specifications to £1.85m for a three-bedroom luxury penthouse.

Durkan is offering a variety of newly converted homes at the Grade II* listed Royal Military Academy, set around a series of boulevards and squares. Prices at The Academy start at £340,000 currently, with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes to choose from at the development, which overlooks Woolwich Common.