Greenwich's Planning Board decides its 254-home half of the former Lewisham College scheme tonight. Officers back it, but would refuse if Lewisham's no stands.
Greenwich councillors decide tonight, Tuesday 13 October, whether to approve their half of the 802-home scheme on the former Lewisham College site at Deptford Bridge. It comes less than three weeks after Lewisham’s committee voted to refuse the larger Lewisham half.
The application, 25/0798/F, is the only item of substance on the Royal Borough of Greenwich Planning Board agenda. The meeting starts at 6.30pm in Committee Rooms 4 and 5 at Woolwich Town Hall and is webcast.
Greenwich’s planners still recommend approval. They have added a new safeguard: the council would refuse the scheme later if Lewisham’s refusal ends up standing.
Why Greenwich put off the vote in September
The board was due to decide on 24 September, the same evening as Lewisham. According to the minutes of that meeting, the chair proposed deferring “until the position regarding the access road and the College was clearer”.
Officers warned that deferral carried a risk of a non-determination appeal and costs. The board deferred anyway, “pending Lewisham Council’s determination of the application”.
The reason is practical. The only vehicle access to the Greenwich blocks would run through the Lewisham part of the site.
Lewisham’s refusal is not final yet
Greenwich’s second addendum report sets out where the Lewisham application stands. Lewisham cannot issue a formal refusal yet. The application must first go to the Greater London Authority for Stage Two.
The steps still to come, in order:
- the Mayor of London decides whether to call the Lewisham application in and decide it himself
- if he does not, it is referred to the Secretary of State
- if neither intervenes, Lewisham issues its refusal notice
- the developer then has a right of appeal
The report adds that officers “understand that, in the event that a refusal is issued, the applicant intends to exercise that right”. In other words, Greenwich has been told the developer expects to appeal.
What Greenwich officers now recommend
Officers say Lewisham’s vote is not, on its own, a reason for Greenwich to defer again or to refuse. They argue the Lewisham half could still be approved, on appeal or otherwise.
The main officer report already made any Greenwich permission conditional on “the prior grant of planning permission” for the Lewisham application, DC/25/139390. The new addendum adds a power to refuse the Greenwich scheme outright if Lewisham’s refusal stands and:
- no appeal is lodged in time, or
- an appeal is withdrawn, or
- an appeal is dismissed
So a yes tonight would not let anything be built on the Greenwich side unless the Lewisham half gets permission first.
What the Greenwich half includes
The Greenwich report describes Blocks E to H, the part of the site beside Mumford’s Mill:
- 254 homes, out of 802 across both boroughs
- Block E at 19 storeys, cut from 24 during the application, and Blocks F and G at 10 storeys
- Block H, a single-storey workshop building, let as affordable workspace for 15 years
- 10 affordable homes, which is 5.1% by habitable room
- 22 three-bedroom homes, 8% of the Greenwich total
Greenwich received 128 objections and 82 letters of support, according to the main report.
How the affordable housing fell
Across both boroughs, the scheme now offers 24 affordable homes out of 802. That is 3% of homes and 5.1% of habitable rooms, according to the site-wide tenure table in the Greenwich report (paragraph 12.7). Sixteen would be social or affordable rent and eight intermediate.
When the GLA first commented, in May 2025, the application offered 177 affordable homes, 11% by habitable room. The figure is summarised in the GLA’s consultation response in the same report.
Greenwich officers accept the shortfall against policy. But they say an independent review found the scheme cannot viably support more, and that the offer is above what was shown to be viable.
Objections left out of the report
A third addendum, published for tonight, admits the main report missed objections from two people who were Greenwich ward councillors when they wrote. They objected to the original scheme on grounds including:
- overdevelopment, with towers well above the 10 to 11 storeys Greenwich’s tall buildings assessment expects here
- harm to the Ashburnham Triangle Conservation Area and to Mumford’s Mill
- affordable housing far below policy in both boroughs
- too few family-sized homes
Officers say the comments do not change their recommendation. Several points, including Lewisham’s affordable housing and housing mix, are “not a material consideration” for Greenwich, they say.
What it means for you
- If you live near Deptford Bridge or Deptford Creek: nothing will be built soon whichever way tonight goes. The Lewisham half has to clear the GLA, the Secretary of State and probably an appeal first.
- You can watch the debate: the Planning Board webcast is linked from the meeting page.
- If you objected in Lewisham: your representation stays on file. If the developer appeals, Lewisham has to tell people who commented on the application, and you can send further comments to the Planning Inspectorate.
- Houseboat residents on the creek: sunlight to the moorings was one of the reasons Lewisham councillors added to their refusal. That reason would be tested at any appeal.
We will report the Greenwich decision and the GLA’s Stage Two response when they are published. For other schemes going through the borough, see our Lewisham planning applications page.
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