Despite council pledges for significant improvements, the plans for new housing and shops have not found favour with everyone.
Plans to redevelop Lewisham Shopping Centre have been met with a mixed response from residents. While Lewisham council claims the £1.5 billion scheme will provide “major benefits and improvements for local people”, some in the area are unhappy.
In addition to the 770 new high-quality houses, 630 student and co-living units, and 344 ‘affordable’ homes, the plans include a redesigned shopping centre with an updated, wider choice of shops, cafes, restaurants, community-led culture and live music venue, street-food markets, and a park, paid for by the couincil through a £24 million investment to improve the high street, Lewisham Market and Lewisham Library.
“For decades, local people have called for the shopping centre to be upgraded and for the town centre to fulfil its potential,” said Councillor James J Walsh, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Regeneration and Planning in a statement.
“The redevelopment will bring much-needed homes, jobs, culture and community spaces to Lewisham while making sure local people benefit from changes.”
He added that the “project puts inclusion, fairness and sustainability at its heart”.
The demolition work, including the 1970s shopping centre, its multi-storey car park, the northern-eastern entrance, the Riverdale Hall Leisure box, and buildings 72-82 of Lewisham High Street, will start in 2026. The work will be carried out in stages, and is predicted to take up to 10 years to complete.
Keen to know if locals perceive the development as highly as Cabinet Member Walsh suggested, we went to the centre to ask locals their opinion. The majority of those we spoke to did not know about the plans.
However, David, a long-standing Lewisham resident shared Walsh’s support for community development, which is intended in the approved plans.
David felt the development would improve the atmosphere of Lewisham High Street. Pointing to a group congregating around the clock tower, he explained, “All the drinkers, they should get rid of them because they aren’t doing any good. They are pissing everywhere, they’re begging people for money, they’re young people, not old. I agree, it needs developing; it’s not a bad thing.”
Zeke, a market stall employee, shared his opinion: “The council gave us a letter, they’re going to make the market look nicer, we’re going to have our own shelters and stuff like that. I’m happy for this.”
Asked if it benefited the community, Zeke added, “Yeah, of course, because look, there’s homeless on the street. They need their houses built, but not luxury houses we can’t afford to rent. Affordable houses. I’m not sure, because I live in a council property. I don’t know if it’s affordable or not.”
Only 344 of the 1,744 planned homes are being reserved for affordable housing, offering a mix of social rent, London Living Rent, and discounted key worker housing; there is no homeless accommodation.
Inside, we spoke to a security guard who explained that the centre will be shut down “part by part” and that “not many people here are happy about it,” a stark contrast from the opinion outside.
Dani, a new Lewisham resident, gave a nostalgic take on the closure: “I haven’t lived in the area long enough to know the ins and outs, but I think shopping centres are a big community building, and a lot of kids end up hanging out in shopping centres.”
“I remember as a child, shopping centres were where we’d hang out in Ireland. I feel like it’s a bit shit that it’s just like being taken for flats because I feel like everything is just being turned into flats nowadays.”
Suggesting after the shops close for redevelopment, “People have no place to congregate, really. They’re going to be able to find someone to live with, but nowhere to socialise. It’s kind of like isolating people in a way.”
An issue that will likely be avoided after the project is complete is the construction of the not-for-profit community cafe, shops, community venue, and park.
Speaking with Lewisham locals, it became clear that there is a lack of understanding of what is really happening and what should be expected.
Everyone we spoke to shared different information on what will be demolished, how long it will take, and what they hope will change in the community due to the redevelopment.
Featured image by Mx Grainger via Wikimedia Commons.
