Charlton Riverside

CHARLTON RIVERSIDE DRAFT MASTERPLAN SPDFebruary 2012

Allies and Morrison Urban Practitioners

VISION AND MASTERPLAN

1. Introduction2. Vision3. Objectives4. Development Principles5. Development Framework6. Delivery

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

7. Understanding the Place8. Policy Context9. Urban Design Issues

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CONTENTS

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CHARLTON RIVERSIDE MASTERPLAN - SPD DRAFT REPORT FEBRUARY 2012 5

VISION AND MASTERPLAN

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1 INTRODUCTION

Allies and Morrison Urban Practitioners was commissioned to prepare the Charlton Riverside Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on behalf of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The SPD provides an important strategic planning steer for this dynamic area of London to guide development over the coming 10-15 years.

Charlton Riverside is located in south eastLondon in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is located within the Thames Gateway and is adjacent to other riverside areas undergoing considerable transformation.

Charlton lies on the riverside between Woolwich and Greenwich Peninsula, stretching south towards Kidbrooke. Charlton’s character along the riverside, the area often referred to as New Charlton, reflects its industrial heritage and this area remains in use predominantly for industrial purposes including Charlton Riverside Industrial Area, the Aggregates Zone and Angerstein and Murphy’s Wharves. The area also has some

retail development in Charlton Business Park to the south west of the industrial area.

To the south of Woolwich Road and outside of the SPD study area, Charlton becomes more residential in character. Charlton Church Lane and the Village remain the main focal point of the area with a small range of local retailers and residents relying on neighbouring Woolwich and Greenwich for their wider needs. Maryon Wilson Park, Charlton Park and Hornfair Park provide Charlton’s green space. Charlton is also the home of Charlton Athletic Football Club, whose stadium is located here.

The dynamic local development context whichprovides an important backdrop to this study is set out in Appendix One of the report.

Charlton Riverside is an Opportunity Area in the London Plan identified for mixed use development and with significant capacity for jobs and new homes. The planning policy context for the area is set out in Appendix Two.

The aim of this study and report is to examine the regeneration options for the CharltonRiverside area and to provide a masterplan framework to guide development and support the planning process. The Royal Borough of Greenwich is seeking to examine the potential for intensifying and diversifying the CharltonRiverside area. However, Royal Greenwich alsowishes to look beyond the existing industrialdesignations in the UDP and the London Planand to develop an innovative vision for thearea that maximises its economic andcommunity potential.

This is an extremely exciting project asCharlton Riverside has potential to accommodate an exemplary new urban district, demonstrating the highest standards of design quality and sustainability and opening up a new section of the river bank as an attractive public space.

The draft report is structured as follows:

1. Introduction2. Vision3. Objectives4. Development Principles5. Development Framework6. Delivery

AppendicesOne - Understanding the PlaceTwo - Policy ContextThree - Urban Design IssuesFour - SWOT Analysis

This is a draft for consultation. For further information on how to comment on this document, please visit our website at www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/masterplans

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By 2027, Charlton Riverside will be transformed into a new urban quarter connecting Greenwich Peninsula to Woolwich town centre. It will comprise of a sustainable mix of uses including substantial residential use in a high quality environment focussed around an enhanced Thames Barrier Park. There will be a thriving education and creative industries hub in the eastern Historical Quarter surrounded by a mix of high quality, residential led uses including high quality business space. The retail and industrial uses will be consolidated and rationalised within a much improved environment and the area overall will be serviced by new and improved public transport links plugged into the transport network and will have benefitted from improvements to the Thames path. The growth will have been supported by infrastructure that will have been provided in a co-ordinated and timely manner to meet the physical and social needs of new development and regeneration. Charlton Riverside will be a flourishing industrial, business and retail area contributing to the

success of the Thames Gateway and a great place to invest, live and work.

The potential of Charlton Riverside is yet to be unlocked but it is an area with exceptional opportunities. Located on the River Thames between two dynamic areas undergoing exciting new development, Charlton Riverside is extremely well-placed to take advantage of the opportunities which have emerged and to undergo a significant transformation. The vision for Charlton Riverside which has emerged is that of the creation of a new ‘piece’ of London’s dynamic waterfront and as part of the London Thames Gateway. This new part of the city should retain its significant commercial and employment capacity particularly in the western part -but through more significant redevelopment around Thames Barrier Park and the riverside and ultimately be an exemplary new urban district, drawing upon lessons learnt from the neighbouring award-winning Greenwich Millennium Village and international examples of good practice such as Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm. This new part of the city

should demonstrate the highest standards of design quality and sustainability and open up a new section of the river bank as an attractive public space for use by local residents and visitors.

The Charlton Riverside area is one of the key areas for change in the borough, alongside Greenwich Peninsula, Woolwich town centre, Kidbrooke Village, Eltham Town Centre, Thamesmead and Abbey Wood. As a strategically important part of the London Thames Gateway, it is important to unlock Charlton’s potential to help support the regeneration of the surrounding areas by offering new homes, including affordable family housing, new/enhanced transport links and open spaces of the highest quality.

Charlton Riverside is an area ready for major transformation and its position in a rapidly evolving part of London which is already changing for the better, will help to secure its future as a new, vibrant piece in the wider regeneration of the Thames Gateway. Charlton Riverside has tremendous potential to become

2 VISION FOR CHARLTON

a high quality, vibrant and sustainable mixed use area with new homes, new community and education facilities, improved transport connections and enhanced open spaces, all combining to create a better quality of life for the area’s existing and new residents. The need to promote more sustainable forms of transport and ways of living should be paramount to the redevelopment of Charlton Riverside and as such, the establishment of ‘walkable neighbourhoods’ in the area will be key to the success and longevity of any new, mixed-use scheme.

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3 OBJECTIVES

Strategic objectives

- Create the ‘missing’ piece of the jigsaw, connecting Greenwich Peninsula to Woolwich town centre

- Transform the image of Charlton and to introduce a sustainable mix of uses in a high quality environment focussed around an enhanced Thames Barrier Park

- Contribute towards the development of the Thames Gateway as a great place to invest, live and work

- Connect into the transport network

- Embrace smart industry to draw greater value from employment land

- Develop a creative hub to diversify activity in the local area

- Create a thriving new neighbourhood set within its landscape

- Create a new education focus

- Stitch together the retail and residential neighbourhoods within Charlton Riverside

Detailed objectives

In responding to the vision for the area there are real opportunities for economic renewal and di-versification. By taking advantage of the oppor-tunities and benefits presented by the changing local dynamic context and by maximising the opportunities presented by the area’s location by the River Thames we can formulate objec-tives to provide and achieve:

- New jobs within different sectors (creative industries, food and drink, leisure and others)

- Increased/higher skilled jobs in industrial uses through the replacement of old and poor quality space with new stock to accommodate the continuing change in industry from manufacturing based uses to service/distribution uses and also some intensification of existing uses

- Investment in up-to-date business space, improved transport provision and the overall environment by the public sector can help to lever in funding from the private sector

- A focus on jobs for local people, which could build upon jobs provided by other developments in the vicinity

- Improvements to the Thames Path, increasing safety and the connectivity of the pathway.

- Up to date accommodation to attract start up/SME/serviced workshop space operators such as Spacia to encompass diversification of business types in the area and foster innovation and entrepreneurism.

- Flourishing new markets through continuing the introduction of non traditional employment users such as creative, arts, cultural and training based companies into refurbished/converted space in historic buildings at the Westminster Industrial Estate

- A sustainable, highly mixed-use ‘quarter’ within the Westminster Industrial Estate by introducing residential and food/drink uses along the lines of the OXO example building and to ensure buildings do not remain vacant

- Strengthened appeal to SME’s particularly to

local businesses which could have positive knock-on effects for local neighbourhoods

- Rationalisation of the existing retail offer in the medium to long term

- New well designed and fit for purpose homes for existing residents in the locality

- Diversification of the housing market, in both the private and public sectors by continuing the large number of flatted development in the locality with family accommodation

- Creation of a better environment for all uses

- Creation of a high quality leisure destination encompassing a continual riverfront Thames Path, quality mixed tenure residential accommodation, an enhanced environment and draw for the Thames Barrier and new uses such as food and drink creating a focus on the remaining historic buildings such as the Westminster Industrial Estate

- Enhanced Thames Barrier as a cultural and educational destination

- Improvement of the area by redeveloping those scrap yards that may have suffered due to the ELVD – and lhe potential to combine ELV functions with a waste facility

- Quality private residential to accommodate workers from areas such as Canary Wharf which has demonstrated the potential of the service sector markets to flourish, therefore providing opportunities for local jobs

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Building on the objectives identified for the Charlton Riverside area, we can establish key principles that can inform a masterplan framework and future development in the local area. These include:

1. Drawing on the River Thames’ potential

Charlton Riverside sits at an important location along the River Thames. Traditionally, the River Thames has been a place for industry and has served as a ‘backland area’ to London, but with shifts in land-uses and the development of ‘smart industry’ the Thames is increasingly becoming an important ‘front’ and public space for the city. Charlton Riverside provides a rich opportunity to promote and develop the river, its foreshore and banks as a public amenity, with walking, cycling and other leisure opportunities. This is illustrated through greater access to water-based and waterfront activities. Opportunity also exists for the Barrier Gardens Pier river bus stop to play a greater role in the future.

2. Connecting into the transport network

A number of public transport initiatives are transforming the area around Charlton Riverside, with the new Crossrail station at Woolwich and the DLR spur linking to George V station on the north side of the river. The successor to the Greenwich Waterfront Transit system can help to connect Charlton into these services, but a more local service such as a hopper bus through new residential neighbourhoods will ensure that new and existing residents are well connected to job opportunities, shops and services. This is indicated through the EL Transit/Hopper bus route on the Development Principles plan on the following page and through strengthened pedestrian links to existing stations in the area.

3. Embracing smart industry to draw greater value from employment land

European cities such as Paris and Stockholm have demonstrated in recent years that it is possible to maintain important river access at

key existing industry locations whilst moving the more land hungry and heavy industry activities elsewhere. These ‘smart wharves’ enable land at these employment locations to accommodate additional businesses that may also be more compatible with a riverfront setting. This is shown in the masterplan framework plan.

4. Organically developing a creative hub to diversify activity in the local area

Charlton Riverside benefits from a number of historic wharf and industrial buildings which provide a strong character to the local area and are flexible in terms of the uses they can support. Some of these are already being used by artists groups, such as Art Hub. A real opportunity exists for the area to develop organically, along the lines of Fish Island and Hackney Wick and to provide a more diverse economic base for the area in an industry which is growing and which has been proven as a way intended to transform neighbourhoods for the better.

4 DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES

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Development principles

1) Buildings in a landscaped setting

2) A contemporary version of a successful Georgian street pattern

Development Principles Plan


and a continuous building line defining the public realm. The landscape within the residential area will be formal and extensive, drawing garden city principles. This will provide a contrast with the more informal extended Thames Barrier Park.

6. Creating a new education focus

The development of a new primary school and the creation of a new technical secondary college for 14-18 year olds within the Charlton Riverside area presents an opportunity for the establishment an education hub to the east of Barrier Park. This would provide a valuable social infrastructure resource for the local area and can provide a platform for developing links between education providers and local businesses. In addition, the need for an additional secondary school and a skate park have been identified, which need to be provided.

7. Stitching together the retail and residential neighbourhoods within Charlton Riverside

The large footprint retail area on Woolwich Road does not currently integrate well with the surrounding residential neighbourhoods, but the opportunity exists to address this through the strategic development of active frontage to the road. A similar approach can be adopted for the remainder of the street, with some smaller scale A3 uses and tree planting to soften the edge here.

4 DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES

5. Creating a thriving new neighbourhood set within its landscape

Charlton Riverside presents an opportunity to create a new neighbourhood of 3,000-5,000 homes in which the buildings can be set within the unique landscape of the Thames Barrier Park and the connected Maryon Wilson Park and Shooters Hill to the south. The area benefits from views to the park and to the south west in Blackheath. Responding to these natural assets has informed the proposed framework and block structure to the masterplan and includes the widening of Thames Barrier Park to the west. Such a setting would support a range of homes, particularly family housing with plenty of green space and access to amenity space. A significant proportion of new build housing should be 3 and 4 bed housing, with some 5 bed housing. New housing should follow the design principles of the Georgian Terrace as adapted, for example in the Olympic Park Legacy Masterplan. There should be back to back urban form with private back gardens

Existing park and green connection between waterfront and Charlton

Proposed extension to park

Proposed completion of street grid

Route of EL Transit / Hopper bus

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Extend vocational college around existing building

Creative industries magnet

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Trees to define block edge.

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Rail connection

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To the east of Thames Barrier Park the study area already has a mixture of industrial and residential uses and many of the existing characterful buildings will be retained and converted into residential and mixed use and new development will be slotted into the existing finer grid structure of this area.

Land uses

At present Charlton Riverside is largely an employment area with a mixture of industrial units and retail warehouses, with residential units clustered around Woolwich Road and in the easternmost portion of the study area near Woolwich town centre.

The plan shows a significant change in the land uses of the eastern part of the study area, from predominantly employment to residential and the introduction of residential uses on the Westminster Industrial Estate to the east of the widened Thames Barrier Park around Eastmoor Street.

5 DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

Block structure

For the western part of the study area, larger blocks and fewer routes are proposed to facilitate the retention and intensification of existing, relocated and new employment uses, whilst also seeking to retain the minerals processing and distribution site and associated safeguarded wharves.

For the central part of the study area, west of Thames Barrier Park a finer grain, more human-scale network of routes and blocks will be introduced to provide an environment which is more conducive to residential uses and which will allow the phased delivery of new development whilst allowing existing employment uses to continue operations in the short to medium-term before being relocated. The enlargement of Maryon Park and the enhancement of this green link to the waterfront is considered essential to creating an attractive living environment and to open up access to the river.

Bugsby’s Way

Woolwich Road

Indicative Block Structure


This eastern portion of the study area will become a mixed use quarter, building upon an emerging cluster of creative and cultural industries in refurbished industrial buildings and introducing new residential uses, particularly on the Westminster Industrial Estate.

It is intended that the western portion of the study area remains predominantly in employment use with the retained minerals processing and distribution site and retained wharves, the reconfigured retail park and new light industrial units immediately south of Bugsby’s Way as well as in the area north of Bugsby’s Way and west of Anchor and Hope Lane.

In the short term, the Woolwich Road edge to the western part of the study area can be strengthened with a built edge to screen the swathes of car parking and service yards. In the longer term however, the retail area is expected to improve further and include more accessible and generally smaller scale units with a permeable block layout.

An attractive new neighbourhood The sketch to the right provides an example of how a new residential neighbourhood with a widened and improved Thames Barrier Park may look. This includes views of the iconic Thames Barrier and green space for people to relax in and enjoy the environment. New homes will help to provide a comfortable sense of enclosure to the park.

Scale, density and mix

The scale and density of development would reflect the improved accessibility delivered through public transport improvements and be in accordance with the London Plan Policy 3.4.

A range of house types would be provided to deliver the mix required to meet local need, including a significant proportion of family sized units.

Artist’s impression of how Charlton’s Thames Barrier Park may look

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Character Areas

1) Charlton Historic Quarter The historic buildings in this area will

provide a rich set of mixed uses and cultural industries, artist’s studios and evening economy uses, which will act as a focus for new high quality residential development, sensitively woven into the historic environment. New buildings will take advantage of river views and be of contemporary designs reflecting the solidity of the brick built traditional warehouses. There will be a perimeter block street pattern with brick (London Stock) as the predominant building material. Schemes such as St Andrews in Bromley by Bow will act as inspiration.

2) Charlton Garden City The area will draw on the principles of a

garden city with a strong landscape theme. The Thames Barrier Park will double in size and new development will take the form of a contemporary version of a traditional Georgian terraced development, for example

as shown in the Olympic Legacy Masterplan with some mews style development. The area will be new build with a new secondary school.

3) West Charlton This area will be characterised by retail and

commercial development, which will act as a buffer to Angerstein Wharf. The area will be redeveloped with active frontage to the road network and a more permeable block layout with residential development.

Character areas

Charlton Historic Quarter

Charlton Garden City

West Charlton


Residential typologies

New residential buildings should be designed to provide as many homes as possible with direct street access. The adjacent diagrams show how homes could be built to fulfil the vision of a contemporary Georgian terraced neighbourhood.

Mews houses Terraced houses Larger terraced houses and duplex apartments

Terraced apartments and perimeter blocks

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Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

Phase 4 Phase 5

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6 DELIVERY

The delivery of development and the vision for Charlton Riverside will be driven by a number of factors. Attracting developer interest particularly for residential development will be key and this will require public sector investment and interventions.

The mechanisms by which infrastructure contributions from site development are managed will also be important and as forward funding infrastructure to create the conditions for investment will be essential, the ability to raise investment capital early will be critical to success. Delivering the improved landscape and riverside setting for development is also seen as key and this should be an investment priority.

Investment in transport infrastructure particularly the successor to Greenwich Waterfront Transit will improve accessibility, justify higher density and release higher value. It should therefore be seen as a high priority.

Issues for delivery particularly in later phases, could include safeguarding of wharves and strategic industrial land (SIL) designations, which the GLA would need to release.

Contaminated land remediation costs, and site and land assembly would be significant issues that can affect delivery and phasing of development. Phasing

1) The creation of the education hub to the east of the Thames Barrier Park is an important first phase as it provides important educational facilities and plays a valuable role in itself attracting residential development.

2) The delivery of high value residential development will be dependant on the education hub going ahead and the early delivery of the widening of the Thames Barrier Park to enhance the landscape environment and setting for that new

housing. The new housing will generate developer contributions and allow investment in the necessary infrastructure in the wider study area. The development will be in the form of a garden city with extensive landscape and the creation of new streets which reflect the Georgian street pattern and urban form.

3) The retail park area will undergo a redevelopment consolidation and the introduction of a permeable street network with active frontages.

4) A secondary school and skateboard park leisure centre will be provided.

5) This area will be consolidated with land released for retailing and employment.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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The Charlton Riverside area began as an agricultural area by the River Thames with some development along today’s WoolwichRoad and to the east by Woolwich town centre. Over time, industrial uses by the River Thames emerged and Charlton became established as the major employment area which is present today.

Charlton, c.1870

Charlton in the second half of the nineteenth century was still largely an agricultural area with fields covering most of the study area. Some residential and industrial development had begun at this stage, mostly focused to-wards the eastern end of the area nearest Wool-wich town centre and along the present-day Woolwich Road in the area of Charlton railway station.

Three wharves along the River Thames were situated on the northern edge of the site, Angerstein’s Wharf, Charlton Wharf and Charlton Ballast Wharf with some sign of industrial activity beginning to emerge with the

presence of the telegraph works to the east. In addition, a school and instrument factory can be found along Woolwich Road.

Charlton, c.1894

Residential development has increased particularly along Woolwich Road to the west, linking in with Woolwich town centre. Terraced housing is also found along the former Lower East and West Streets (now known as Eastmoor and Westmoor Street respectively), connecting Woolwich Road to the waterfront. In addition, the sand pit seen in 1870 has now been transformed into Maryon Park to support the increasing residential population in the area.

In terms of other land uses, whilst the core of ‘New Charlton’ remained largely agricultural at this stage, industrial development began to dominate the riverside with the barge building works, a rope manufactory, timber yard and silicate paint works all located on the riverside. The telegraph works along Bowater and Harrington Roads had expanded significantly by this stage. Over time, industrial land uses

populated the agricultural fields seen in this historical map from 1894, resulting in the industrial dominance which is seen today.

7 UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

Historical development

View of Charlton in 1770s

View from Maryon Park, 1905

28Thames Barrier Industrial Park


Charlton Riverside is one of the most obvious ‘missing pieces’ in the wider regeneration story of the River Thames and the Thames Gateway. With major transformative projects taking place to the east, west and north of the study area, this site clearly represents a major opportunity for a new, sustainable ‘piece’ of the city.

Immediately to the west of Charlton is Greenwich Peninsula, an area which has already undergone very substantial positive change in recent years with the development of the landmark Greenwich Millennium Village and the establishment of the O2 arena. The next phase of development for the Peninsula is currently under construction with a total of 13,000 new homes planned for the area. Further west, new public leisure, learning and healthcare facilities are planned for the Heart of East Greenwich scheme.

To the north of the study area, on the opposite bank of the River Thames, the Royal Docks Vision and Strategy is unfolding within the wider Enterprise District context. Expansion of the ExCeL centre, City Airport and the University of East London are complete or well underway and new housing is emerging around

Barrier Park. Development of Silvertown Quays and the Royal Docks business park are being actively promoted. To the east of Charlton Riverside, plans to re-establish Woolwich town centre as the major town centre in Greenwich are well advanced. The Royal Arsenal site is now part complete and there is a new transport interchange enhancing connections to Plumstead,Thamesmead and Charlton. The new civic headquarters and the extension of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to Woolwich Arsenal are in place. A new Crossrail station at Woolwich is being built.

Further afield, other major new developments include:- Stratford City - a new £4billion metropolitan

centre in East London with more than 100 shops, three large department stores, cafés, a school, hotels and health centres. When complete this new commercial and urban district will have an extra 11,000 residents and 30,000 workers;

- The Olympic Park/Lower Lea Valley - the 500 acre site of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has nine new sporting venues and a legacy of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 9,000 new homes and significant commercial development;

- Canning Town - a revitalised town centre with 1,500 new homes and 4,500 new jobs and a further 7,000 new homes in the wider Canning Town and Customs House area; and

- Thamesmead - significant new housing including approximately 2,000 units at Tamesis Point.

- The Royals - ExCeL extended by 50% and a number of hotels have been built in the surrounding area; London City Airport has secured consent to increase flights from 79,000 to 120,000 per year; the University of East London has completed a new phase of its campus at Gallions; the DLR extension from Canning Town to Woolwich Arsenal via City Airport is complete; work on Crossrail has begun, with a new station at Custom House and services are scheduled from 2017; the forthcoming redevelopment of 75 hectares, (former LDA land now the direct responsibility of the Mayor) including Silvertown Quays; the £30m Siemens sustainability centre is being built at Royal Victoria Dock underpinning a new focus on employment and enterprise within the wider Enterprise District.


Local development context

Woolwich Town Centre

The River Thames at Charlton

30Crowleys Wharf


Greenwich Peninsula

Around 1,000 new homes have already been built at Greenwich Millennium Village, of the 2,850 units planned by 2016, along with a new primary school, health centre, supermarket, retail units and restaurants, hotel, cinema complex and the Dome. The 23,000 seat capacity O2, re-opened in July 2007 and is now an established, world class indoor arena for music, entertainment and sports events.

A further 10,000 new homes (bringing the total number of homes to around 13,000 for the Peninsula) are planned by Greenwich Peninsula Regeneration Limited. A new cruise liner terminal and new homes at Enderby Wharf are also planned. At Lovell’s Granite and Pipers Wharves, a mixed use scheme is proposed including 667 homes, office space, a hotel, shops, restaurants, sports facilities and public squares. Up to 24,000 jobs could be created through the provision of 343,600 sq.m of employment and office space.

Woolwich town centre

- Re-establishing Woolwich as the main town centre in the borough

- Extension of the DLR is now complete with a potential link to the proposed successor to Greenwich Waterfront Transit (GWT) in a new transport interchange in Woolwich town centre

- A new Crossrail station at Woolwich by 2018

- The new civic headquarters has been provided and a new Tesco store, 15,000 sq.m of new retail space, and 960 new homes at the Love Lane site are due for completion from 2012/13

The first phase of the redevelopment of the Royal Arsenal site close to the town centre, is complete with 1,700 new homes. The development is linked to the centre of Woolwich via an improved public realm and new high quality public spaces. The development will almost double the size of the town centre with new retail units, bars and restaurants.

The second phase of development called the ‘Warren’ is expected to deliver a further 1,600 units and hotel by 2016.


Local development context

Greenwich Millennium Village

Royal Arsenal

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Maryon Wilson Park


National policy

National Planning Policy is currently set out in a series of Planning Policy Statements (PPS), Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) and Planning Circulars. These topic based documents cover a number of issues ranging from transport, to housing and biodiversity. In July 2011, the Government published the Draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which is a single document that will replace existing PPS, PPG and some Planning Circulars. Once the NPPF is published, due to be in April 2012, it effectively replaces approximately 1,000 pages of existing guidance with 52 pages. It will have to be taken into account in drafting plans and in the determination of planning applications.

The NPPF introduces the ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’ and states that Local Planning Authorities should plan positively for new development and approve all individual proposals wherever possible. The Framework includes a set of core land-use planning principles to underpin plan making and development management. The principles

that include planning should be genuinely plan-led, and planning should take into account local circumstances.

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) do not form part of the statutory development plan but provide further detail on the implementation of particular policies and proposals contained in the Development Plan. SPDs must relate to policies or proposals in the Development Plan and they may not be used to set out new policies nor to allocate or re-designate land for specific purposes.

Regional policy

The London Plan: Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London 2011

The London Plan is the overall strategic plan for London and forms part of Greenwich’s Development Plan. Charlton Riverside is recognised within the London Plan as an Opportunity Area. Opportunity Areas are the capital’s major reservoir of brownfield land with significant capacity to accommodate new

housing, commercial and other development linked to existing or potential improvements to public transport accessibility.

Policy 2.13 of the London Plan sets what development proposals within Opportunity Areas should do and Annex 1, which is integral to the policy, outlines the broad principles that should be applied to the specific Opportunity and Intensification Areas including indicative estimates of employment capacity and minimum guidelines for new homes to 2031.

“Development at Charlton Riverside should be integrated with the wider development of the south bank of the Thames to complement opportunities at Deptford/Greenwich, Greenwich Peninsula and Woolwich. Any managed release of surplus industrial land should be set in a wider sub regional context as part of the planning framework for the Area, taking into account safeguarded wharves such as Murphy’s and Angerstein with its strategic railhead” (Table A1.1, Annex 1). The table also states that Charlton Riverside has an indicative employment capacity of 1,000 jobs and a minimum 3,500 new homes.

8 THE POLICY CONTEXT

National and regional policy

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target in the London Plan comes from the potential regeneration of the Charlton Riverside but the SHLAA acknowledged that the area has the potential for twice that amount during the period 2011-2021.

Mayor of London’s Industrial Capacity SPG

The Industrial Capacity SPG 2008 seeks to plan, monitor and manage the release of surplus industrial land so that it can better contribute to strategic and local planning objectives, especially those that provide more housing and social infrastructure.

In the revised Table 1: Indicative Industrial Land Release Benchmarks, the figure for the East London sub-region (including Greenwich) is stated as being 500Ha for the period 2006-2026. The SPG also indicates in Annex 2 that 37Ha of Greenwich’s industrial land was vacant in 2006.

The study area also includes an area identified by the Mayor as a Strategic Industrial Location (SIL). Policy 2.17 of the London Plan states that “the Mayor will and boroughs and other stakeholders should promote, manage and, where appropriate, protect the Strategic Industrial Locations”. Accordingly, boroughs should develop local policies based on clear and robust assessments of need to protect their function, to enhance their attractiveness and competitiveness for industrial type activities including access improvements. Also, London Plan Policy 4.4 identifies the factors that Councils should demonstrate taking into account when managing industrial locations, including the potential for surplus industrial land to help meet strategic and local requirements for a mix of other uses such as housing. The support to Policy 4.4 states that redevelopment of surplus industrial land should address strategic and local objectives particularly for housing, and for social infrastructure such as education, emergency services and community activities. Map 4.1,

which is referred to in the policy identifies Greenwich for ‘limited’ transfer of industrial land to other uses.

There are currently three safeguarded wharves at Charlton Riverside; Angerstein, Murphy’s and Riverside Wharves. London Plan Policy 7.26 refers to the potential redevelopment of London’s safeguarded wharves, stating that safeguarded wharves should only be used for waterborne freight handling use and that the redevelopment of safeguarded wharves for other land uses should only be accepted if the wharf is no longer viable or capable of being made viable for waterborne freight handling. The Mayor of London is currently reviewing its safeguarding of wharves across London and is not proposing any changes to the three wharves.

The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)

Charlton Riverside was included in the most recent London-wide Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), the figures from which were used to determine the London Plan housing targets for 2011 - 2021. Charlton Riverside was identified in the SHLAA as having the potential for 6,000 new homes coming forward as part of mixed use development schemes, with an overall density that fits within the ranges set out in London Plan Policy 3.4 and the density matrix in Table 3.2. For the purposes of generating the target figure for the London Plan, the figure was reduced by 50% by the modelling programme because the area was agreed with the GLA to be identified at that time as being in employment use, as was the case for all employment sites. The target figure of 3,000 new dwellings was spread over three separate five-year periods, with 40% allocated to 2016-21 and again to 2021-26 and the remaining 20% set for 2026-2031. Overall, nearly 5% (1,200) of the 25,950 new homes


Regional policy


Core Strategy

Royal Greenwich’s Core Strategy, including development management policies, is currently in preparation, following on from a consultation on a draft version at the end of 2010 and a further consultation due on the proposed submission version at the start of 2012.

The Spatial Strategy: the spatial strategy states that the regeneration of Charlton Riverside and the associated release of SIL are important to the Council seeing a mix of uses including around 6,000 new homes built in the area.

Locations for Strategic Development: the Core Strategy identifies Charlton Riverside as a Strategic Development Location. It is found to be a key regeneration area that provides a significant opportunity for new high quality river front development. The area has the potential to be transformed into an attractive and vibrant mixed use urban quarter providing around 6,000 new homes. It could offer new community and education facilities, space for small businesses particularly within the creative

industries, new employment opportunities and accessible open spaces.

Strategic Policies: policies in the Economic Activity section of the Core Strategy phrase Royal Greenwich’s intentions for the Strategic Development Location at Charlton Riverside. The policies refer to the site’s designation on the Proposals Map, the intended consolidation of employment land, the reduction in out of town retail and the need for buffer zones around the safeguarded wharves.

There is a specific policy for economic activity at the Charlton Riverside Strategic Development Location, which includes:

- Consolidating employment to more intensive employment premises

- Reducing the amount of out of town centre retail

- The establishment of buffer zones around the safeguarded wharves


Local policyPolicy EA4 of the Draft Core Strategy reflects the Strategic Industrial Locations set out in the London Plan, identifying the areas in the Borough to be protected for continued industrial uses. Policy IM5 identifies how Royal Greenwich intends to minimise the impact on the road network of the movement of goods and materials and identifies protecting the Borough’s safeguarded wharves for river-based cargo handling and safeguarding the strategic railhead at Angerstein wharf for aggregates distribution.

Policy IM3 supports public transport infrastructure that is critical to the Borough’s development, including improvements along the waterfront area between Thamesmead and Abbey Wood through Charlton Riverside to the Peninsula.

Smart industry in Charlton

View across the River Thames

36

Green Chain: the Green Chain network of open spaces goes through Charlton Riverside from the Thames Barrier to Maryon Wilson Park.

Transport

The current PTAL along the riverside area of Charlton varies between 1 and 4, reducing the closer to the river you get. It is recognised that in order for significant development to be con-sidered appropriate in this area, improvement to public transport infrastructure would need to take place along with improved links to the existing Charlton rail station.

Retail

There is a significant out of centre retail offer in the south west of Charlton Riverside where there are a number of large out-of-centre retail stores.

The retail offer at Charlton includes bulky goods retailers where car parking is important for the transport of purchases. Bulky goods is a different offer to other town centres but there

Unitary Development PlanThe existing Unitary Development Plan (UDP) 2006, includes Policy J3 Charlton Business Park which protects land within the defined area for B1 and B8 Use Classes. Charlton Business Park is within the boundaries of the study area and it is intended that it will be regenerated along with the rest of the Charlton Riverside Strategic Development Location.

Part of Charlton Riverside is within the area identified on the Proposals Map as being Defined Industrial Area. UDP Policy J1 states that these areas are particularly suited and safeguarded for activities within Use Classes B1, B2 and B8, although office developments unless ancillary will be limited to locations with good public transport accessibility.

The Unitary Development Plan is in the process of being replaced by the Core Strategy with Development Management Policies, to reflect the London Plan and update the aspirations for the area.

Site Allocations DPDA Site Allocations document, to support the Core Strategy, is in its initial stages of preparation and will incorporate more detail on any specific sites identified within Charlton Riverside.

Heritage DesignationsThere are no Conservation Areas within the Charlton Riverside Masterplan study area. The area does not have many listed buildings and structures with a small concentration towards the east of the study area including the old Brass Foundry on Ruston Road.

Environmental DesignationsFlooding: the majority of the Charlton Riverside area is within Flood Zone 3a, with a small part in the north western corner in Flood Zones 1 and 2. Although the whole of the area is protected by the Thames tidal defences, there is a risk of these defences being breached. This needs to be considered for those parts of it located within flood zone 3 and that have a high or medium residual risk, and development must be made safe in case of flooding. ‘More

vulnerable’ development such as residential and education uses should be directed to Flood Zones 1 and 2 where possible, and should otherwise demonstrate that the Exception Test criteria can be passed. There is also some risk of surface water and groundwater flooding on the site.

Thames Path: the Core Strategy requires developments along the riverside to ensure that they incorporate the provision for a riverside walkway. There are specific improvements required to the part of the Thames Path east of the Thames Barrier.

Metropolitan Open Land (MOL): there is an area of MOL in Charlton Riverside in a thin strip running from the Thames Barrier south towards Maryon Park.

Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation: there is one SINC within the boundary of the Charlton Riverside Masterplan area at Eastmoor Street Park, which has diverse grassland, a small pond and native shrubs and trees.


Local policy


are a number of high street type comparison retailers in the area which are trading very strongly and competing directly with Woolwich and Greenwich.

There is no capacity for additional retail floorspace in Charlton Riverside as it would impede the ability of Woolwich Town Centre to reach Metropolitan Centre status within the next 15 years.


Local policy

Art Hub studios, Charlton

Historic industrial buildings in Charlton

38


The Charlton Riverside area is enviably located alongside the River Thames but the majority of the land uses on the site fail to maximise the excellent views and unique waterfront environment. It is also well-placed in terms of directly linking in to exciting new development occurring at Greenwich Peninsula and Woolwich town centre.

This section outlines some of the urban design analysis which has informed the development of the regeneration options for Charlton. This includes: - Urban morphology; - Activities and uses; - Connectivity and movement; and- Key assets (including open spaces).

This analysis has informed the key issues and opportunities identified for Charlton.

Urban morphology

The Charlton Riverside area is currently characterised by a disjointed urban fabric with large blocks dominating the western and central portion of the site. Permeability of the site in this area is relatively weak compared with the eastern portion towards the more residential streets near Woolwich town centre.

In particular, the lack of routes leading directly from Woolwich Road to the waterfront (and therefore views of the waterfront) are clear and present underused potential for the site. In terms of the built form, shown on the plan to the left, the industrial uses which characterise the Charlton Riverside area today are clearly distinguishable from the smaller residential rows to the south of Woolwich Road. These larger footprints create a less legible and pedestrian-friendly environment and can act as barriers to movement and particularly views of the river.

9 URBAN DESIGN ISSUES

Introduction

Holborn College

Industrial buildings in Charlton

40

Activities and uses


The majority of the study area is occupied by industrial units, the aggregates site and retail warehouses, with residential units on the southern edge and a cluster in the east. Maryon Wilson Park lies to the south of the study area.

The western half of the site, west of Eastmoor Street is largely occupied by a mix of industrial units of varying sizes, age and quality. The units range from newly constructed, large warehouses such as those immediately on the eastern side of Anchor and Hope Lane to smaller, older units on Eastmoor and Westmoor Streets.

The northwestern corner of the site is occupied by the aggregates site with Angerstein’s Wharf and the rail head. South of the aggregates site and south of Bugsby’s Way, the site accommodates a number of large retail sheds including the Greenwich Shopping Park with retailers such as Next, Clarks and Boots, as well as other retailers off Bugsby’s Way including Matalan and Makro. The area east of Anchor and Hope Lane and west of Eastmoor Street which makes up the central part of the Charlton Riverside site, is

predominantly occupied by medium and small industrial units with a few retail warehouses fronting Woolwich Road such as Currys and PC World, as well as the larger new warehouses directly fronting Anchor & Hope Lane. South of Woolwich Road there are residential units with their backs turned to the main, busy road.

East of Eastmoor Street and north of Woolwich Road, the area is characterised by a mixture of small and medium industrial units (generally two to three storeys in height and relatively low quality) with a six-storey industrial/office block on Bowater Road which can be seen from Woolwich Road. The eastern side of Eastmoor Street also accommodates a narrow green strip of open space which extends north of Woolwich Road and stops short of the Thames Barrier and Environment Agency buildings. This green strip leads south over Woolwich Road into Maryon Park which lies adjacent to the disused sand pit.


Activities and usesEmployment - B2 (General Industrial) or B8 uses (Storage & Distribution)

Residential

Retail

Other uses (aggregates/ Thames Barrier)

Green open space

42Activities and usesThe Thames Barrier


RETAIL RESIDENTIAL INDUSTRIAL AMENITY

44Activities and uses


The study area is dominated by Woolwich Road (the A206) in the south and Bugsby’s Way in the west and is also close to two railway stations, Charlton and Woolwich Dockyard (less accessible). The study area is largely unwelcoming to pedestrians and cyclists and there are clear opportunities for improving connectivity and movement.

Movement Appreciation

The study area encompasses a length of the River Thames south bank between the Greenwich Peninsula and Woolwich Town Centre, known as New Charlton. Bounded by the river to the north and Woolwich Road (A206) to the south, the area being considered for regeneration includes a gravel extraction plant adjacent to the Meridian Trading Estate and extends to Warspite Road.

Generally the study area consists of low density land uses. Located close to the waterfront the area is dominated by a legacy of industrial based uses. It also takes in a significant portion of existing and potential public open space in

the form of Maryon Wilson Park and the river foreshore. Although the riverfront is in great need of regeneration the Thames Barrier is an existing draw for the area, already attracting an element of leisure use/interest.

Identifying the potential to intensify and diversify the area under the project aims will inevitably increase travel demand by all modes to and within the area.

Local Highway Network

Woolwich Road is the main highway link through the study area and is a London distributor road, part of London’s strategic road network. This route is heavily trafficked as it provides local access for the industry along the waterfront as well as a commuter link for two of East London’s main river crossing locations, the Woolwich Ferry and Blackwall Tunnel. High demand for crossing the river has created capacity restrictions at the Ferry Roundabout and the A102/ Woolwich Road junction, particularly during peak times. Though these junctions fall outside the study area queuing

traffic can bank back along Woolwich Road. There is only one main distributor road within the study area. Several access roads connect directly to the major highway network, placing additional pressure on Woolwich Road and Bugsby’s Way. The lack of secondary east-west routes in the study area has left Woolwich Road, and to a lesser extent Bugsby’s Way, heavily used by both commuter and local access traffic (including HGV movements). This, in turn, acts to segregate residential communities south of the A206 from the employment and retail facilities to the north. Permeability through the industrial estates adjacent to the river is limited. Routes typically run north-south and allow for access only.

Public Transport Network

Public transport accessibility (PTAL) variesconsiderably throughout the study area. Atbest a PTAL level 4 (medium to high) exists inthe vicinity of the Charlton and WoolwichDockyard Rail Stations, reducing to PTAL level1 (very low) along the riverfront.


Connectivity and movement

46

9 URBAN DESIGN ISSUESConnectivity and movement

Public transport access in Charlton Bus stops and access in Charlton


The majority of bus services in the area, asshown on the plan to the left, follow Woolwich Road and Bugsby’s Way, on an east-west axis only. No services currently penetrate the industrial hinterland north of the A206. There appears to be little bus interchange at either Charlton or Woolwich Dockyard stations, with only one service (route 486 and 380 respectively) stopping at each. Nonetheless, bus stops are scattered at even intervals along the length of Woolwich Road. Public transport accessibility for the study area has been shown using the standard five and ten minute walk isochrones. This illustrates that much of the waterfront and the area around the Thames Barrier currently fall outside standard walk distances to bus and rail facilities.

Two overland rail stations are nearby, Charlton and Woolwich Dockyard. Neither has particularly attractive attributes with basic facilities and minimal interchange facilities with no formal cycle or car parking facilities.

At present, Charlton Station has a taxi rank

whereas Woolwich Dockyard does not.Demand for Charlton and WoolwichDockyard stations is expected to increase asregeneration evolves. Taxis are considered partof a sustainable multi-modal door-to-doorjourney. If a full rank (that meets demandguidelines) cannot be provided, a minimum setdown provision and information boards of local cab contacts is a viable alternative.

Pedestrian access to both stations from thestudy area is poor with no direct access acrossWoolwich Road. Furthermore WoolwichDockyard Station is set well back off the mainroad making connections to the main buscorridor in the area difficult.

South Eastern Trains operates services fromboth stations, which lie on the WoolwichArsenal and Dartford line. Destinations includeGravesend and Gillingham in the east andcentral London. Typically at peak travel timesboth train and line capacities are stretched.Train frequencies during peak times range from10 to 12 trains per hour in each direction fordestinations such as Woolwich Arsenal,

Greenwich, and London Bridge. Althoughincreased passenger capacity can only beachieved as part of wider area initiatives, suchas the introduction of Crossrail, regenerationof Charlton’s waterfront will bring forward theneed for further enhancements.

New Charlton is also in close proximity toother existing and future public transportfacilities within the Borough such as DocklandsLight Rail (DLR) and Thames River boats inWoolwich. The completed extension to the King George V branch of the DLR and the individual station offers new options from Woolwich is currently underway.

Furthermore public transport accessibility tothe area will improve with the implementationof the potential successor to Greenwich Waterfront Transit (GWT).

Pedestrian and cycle networks

Woolwich Road presents a barrier to the area,and is certainly discouraging to sustainablemodes of travel such as walking and cycling.


Connectivity and movement

48

Residents in the south are left to negotiateawkward, often two-stage pedestrian crossingsin order to access the employment and retailfacilities in the north. Furthermore theenvironment is not inviting for pedestrianspresenting patchy and mainly industrialfrontage, an imposing roadscape and limitedopportunities for direct crossing.

Due to the lack of secondary east-westroutes,Woolwich Road has several dominantjunctions (mainly roundabouts), typically forlocal access only. Formal pedestrian crossingsare lacking at many of these roundabouts.Instead facilities are offset from the junctionleaving pedestrians to go out of their way tocross Woolwich Road safely. This further addsto the dominance of the roadscape in the areaand suggests that motor vehicles hold thepriority.

In addition to facilities for pedestrians to crossat the main signalised junctions of FrancesStreet and Anchor and Hope Lane, five moresignalised (pelican) crossings exist along

Woolwich Road. The majority of these arefocused around Maryon Wilson Park. A green finger stretching from the park to the Thames Barrier is perhaps the most inviting route forpedestrians to access the waterfront. Certainlythe industrial uses flanking either side do notpresent the best environment to walk through.Walking along the waterfront in the study areais not particularly attractive for this samereason.

As stated previously, the rail stations are set back from Woolwich Road.

Currently access via sustainable modes toeither station is poor. This will requirestrengthening, including high quality interchange facilities if rail travel is to be promoted.

Neither station provides secure cycle parkingfacilities. There is very little in the way of safecycle routes within the study area. Land ownership issues restricts access to thewaterfront between Redding House and theThames Barrier, along the Thames Path

extension link. Here, cyclists are forced toweave through the industrial estate and alongthe heavily trafficked Woolwich Road in orderto bridge the gap in the Riverside Path. Asidefrom the dedicated cycle route along theThames Path, several recommended on-roadroutes exist in the area.

River Connections

Several jetties (generally now disused) arescattered throughout the study area, suggestingat one time the river provided an importantfunction for goods transfer, access, and leisurepursuits. Greenwich Yacht Club is located justoutside the study area, west of the Brocklebank Industrial Estate.

Water freight appears to continue today, albeitin a reduced capacity, by some of theestablished industries. The facility forprocessing and distributing marine dredgedaggregates in the western extents of the studyarea is one such wharf, as is the wharfadjoining the Tarmac site just west of theThames Barrier. Aside from the Barrier


Connectivity and movementGardens Pier (discussed below), the remainderof the wharves within the study area appear tobe disused, for example the wharf apparentlyassociated with Sainsbury’s depot and thatlinked to the recycling site.

With the successful introduction of LondonRiver services from Woolwich Arsenal to theCity, passing Charlton Riverside, the potentialto serve the study area by passenger ferry isclear. Main destinations include St Katherine’sDocks, London Bridge, Blackfriars and CanaryWharf. Services run frequently throughout theday and connections to other river servicesoperating further west along the Thames canbe made en-route at Canary Wharf andBlackfriars piers. Regular ferries operate forcommuters from Woolwich Arsenal to Putneyyear round and can be used to access theEmbankment,Westminster, Chelsea andWandsworth.There are approximately elevenferries per day between Woolwich Arsenal andthe Savoy.

In addition leisure services operate past and to


the study area during the summer months. Theclosest working passenger pier is located atBarrier Gardens, near the EnvironmentAgency’s information centre. Around tenservices run daily to/from the Barrier andWestminster, operating from April to October.

A free shuttle for river crossing is alsoprovided by the Borough between Woolwichand North Woolwich. Presently this service isoffered every ten minutes from 6am to 8pm.The DLR extension to Woolwich Arsenal provides an additional cross-riverconnection.

Parking

Parking throughout the study area currentlytakes place on an ad hoc basis, particularlythrough the industrial areas. Parking becomesan issue in the study area on game days as fansarriving for a match at the Charlton FootballClub tend to park throughout the industrialestate. Neither Charlton nor WoolwichDockyard Stations provide commuter parkingthough public parking is supplied near to the

Thames Barrier at the visitors centre. Theretail park, including cinema complex, hassufficient parking accessed off Peartree Way.

50 View of All Saints Church in Blackheath


Charlton Riverside has a number of key assets which any regeneration of the area should take into consideration and build upon. Central to the future success and transformation of the area is its open space and access to the waterfront. The strongest asset that Charlton has to offer is clearly the waterfront and views of the River Thames. In addition to this exceptional asset, the study area has a number of other key assets which should be retained and strengthened where possible in the regeneration of the area. These include:

1. The aggregates site, Angerstein and Murphy’s Wharves;

2. The Anchor & Hope public house - a historic site on the East London riverside;

3. Maryon Wilson Park and the attractive narrow, green strip of open space along Eastmoor Street which leads to the Thames Barrier;

4. The Thames Barrier,Thames Barrier Gardens, the visitor centre and the Environment Agency’s operational buildings;

5. The Westminster Industrial Estate on Bowater Road with its six-storey industrial/office building which could be converted for other uses;

6. The three storey,Victorian former school building which now houses Holborn College on Woolwich Road;

7. A two to three storey industrial unit on Ruston Road with conversion possibilities;

A number of other smaller assets should also be retained including the former pub in Thames Barrier Park and historic buildings in the Charlton Historic Quarter Area.

9 URBAN DESIGN ISSUESKey assets

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