Tuesday 15 January 2008

Station redevelopment drags on

According to Cathedral Group, the company which is responsible for redeveloping the disused yard and arches next to Deptford Station, things are still moving, but they are moving slowly.

Readers might recall (although it has been dragging on so long now you'd be forgiven for forgetting!) the station area redevelopment incorporates a number of elements, including a huge block of live-work units and (you guessed it) new apartments backing onto the old carriage ramp, as well as a 'creative industries' market and a new station, if Network Rail can scrape together a few bob to evict the rats and give the place a lick of paint.

The market was originally slated for 'autumn 2007', so I was wondering what had happened. But it seems they haven't forgotten it:

"We are making plans as quickly as possible to open up the development site around the carriage ramp next to Deptford Station. The creative industries market that we plan to open on the site during the period before construction begins (sometime in late 2009) will open now in early Spring 2008. At around the same time we are planning to open up a site HQ in the form of a cafe in a converted train carriage."

Well guys, take all the time you like. I am all in favour of a cleaner, safer and more accessible station and the sooner we can get this, the better. Another cafe might be nice too, and it would be good to see that yard being used for something other than an occasional car park. I will reserve my judgement about the apartments and live-work units - I suspect that the building will be disproportionately high in comparison to the mostly low-rise structures on Deptford High Street, and may turn out to be totally out of character with the neighbourhood.

3 comments:

patrick1971 said...

Late 2009? Glad to see they're in a hurry to get the station redeveloped. As I understand it, the apartment building is going to be nine stories and has no affordable housing at all; this was agreed as a way to pay for the station redevelopment. I heard all this about 18 months ago from the Deptford Town Centre Manager, Jennifer Taylor. But I also later heard that Network Rail were being difficult about the site; god knows what's going on.

Andrew Brown said...

I know that Joan Ruddock has been chairing what I think are regular meetings about this development, so you might want to write to her to find out what's going on.

DDKK said...

As I understand it, the new building will only cover part of the cost of the station, NR still has to contribute, and that was the sticking point last thing I heard.