Lewisham Council has given the green light to a massive urban regeneration project that will transform the town center with 1,700 new homes. The council approved the hybrid application for the 6.8-hectare site-wide scheme on Thursday, October 16, which includes both outline plans and detailed first-phase proposals. The ambitious development is being spearheaded by Landsec UI, the regeneration division of major property developer Landsecs.
Studio Egret West has designed a comprehensive phased masterplan that features 20 percent affordable housing alongside 660 student beds and 445 co-living residences. The development will also include 3.2 hectares of green space and a dedicated culture, arts and music venue with capacity for 500 people. Architecture firms Mae, working in collaboration with Studio MULTI, and Archio have created detailed proposals for the first two buildings of the masterplan, including the 445-home co-living block and a residential scheme featuring one, two and three-bedroom apartments.
The major regeneration project requires partially demolishing the existing 1970s Lewisham Shopping Centre, a decision that has drawn criticism from campaign group Just Space due to the scale of demolition proposed. However, concerns were initially amplified by incorrectly submitted carbon data that showed the scheme would release 248 million tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime. The figures have since been corrected to 282,000 tonnes, which covers the embodied carbon of construction materials and processes, maintenance and replacement over 60 years, and the end-of-life impact of materials used.
The approval of the masterplan and first phase follows the unveiling of evolved proposals for the site in November 2024. These updated plans retain some existing buildings on Lewisham High Street, including the popular street market and the historic Art Deco former Woolworths building from 1937. Both structures are scheduled to be retrofitted rather than demolished. This represents a significant change from an earlier vision of the scheme unveiled in 2021 and put to public consultation in 2022, which included 2,500 homes and called for the demolition of several buildings, including Lewisham House, which will now be partially retained.
Landsec chief operating officer Mike Hood expressed enthusiasm about the project's approval, stating: "This is an exciting moment for the future of Lewisham's town centre. These plans provide much-needed homes, community spaces and facilities that will enhance urban life for generations, while delivering sustainable returns that support our ambition for long-term growth."
Studio Egret West emphasized the collaborative nature of the project's development. The firm commented: "Over three years of collaboration with Lewisham Council and local communities have helped shape a truly shared vision, one rooted in the aspirations of those who call Lewisham home. The proposals will create a thriving, inclusive and sustainable town centre that reflects Lewisham's distinctive identity and future ambitions."
At the heart of the masterplan lies a new park inspired by Lewisham's historic meadows, designed as a green, living landscape. Studio Egret West describes this as a "landscape-led vision" that will transform Lewisham Shopping Centre into a vibrant hub of urban living, nature, culture and community, underpinned by ecological revitalization and social inclusion. Studio Egret West, which previously delivered the successful 10-hectare Mayfield Park scheme in Manchester, was appointed to draw up the masterplan for redeveloping Lewisham town centre in 2020 following a competitive selection process.
