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Greenwich news and information

Archaeological dig reveals Stockwell Street history

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A TEAM of archaeologists have recovered items stretching back hundreds of years at the site of a new development in Stockwell Street.

Ceramic jugs, bone handled toothbrushes, thimbles, coins and bottles were among the items brought back to the surface in the £85,000 project.

The dig was commissioned by the University of Greenwich who have been given planning permission to build a new campus library and dedicated school of Architecture on the site.

The oldest items found were fragments of medieval pottery, and the largest item was a mid 19th century jug, pictured below, depicting the story of Robinson Crusoe.

The land was home to a malt house in the 18th century, and brick wells on the site were used by local residents for dumping rubbish.

Lead archaeologist Duncan Hawkins, from CgMs Consulting, says: “These finds throw light on the lives of the people who lived here, and the work they did. They provide evidence that Stockwell Street was home to a ‘middling’ class of workers: professionals, artisans, tradesmen and craftsmen. In many ways, those communities were not so different from ours and, in archaeological terms, we are separated only by a small amount of a time.”

A detailed study of the discoveries will be undertaken by the University and their permanent home will be in the Musuem of London’s archives.

The redevelopment of the site is expected to be completed in 2014.

Council apologises over foot tunnel refurb delays

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Greenwich Council protest
Councillors were met with protestors at last night’s full council meeting

GREENWICH COUNCIL has said sorry to cyclists and pedestrians for the ongoing problems resulting from the refurbishment of the foot tunnels at Greenwich and Woolwich.

Speaking at last night’s full council meeting, the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Councillor Denise Hyland, offered “complete apologies” after being questioned from the public gallery by Antony Austin, chair of Greenwich Cyclists.

Hyland said the refurbishment of the hundred-year-old tunnels was a “heritage project”, adding:

“We have had decisions to make where hidden structures have been uncovered and further work has been necessary.

“We have put pressure on our contractors and worked with them in positive partnership to bring a swift resolution.”

The refurbishment of the foot tunnels, paid for with a grant from central government, was due  to be completed by Spring 2011, but is not now expected to be finished until early in 2012.

Protestors make voices heard at meeting

The meeting itself was the first full council meeting for three months and councillors entering the front entrance were met by a group of protestors with a mixed bag of grievances: parents and kids angry about the proposed closure of Blackheath Bluecoat school, volunteers protesting about cuts to the Greenwich Law Centre and trade unionists opposing cuts to services.

A packed public gallery watched on as the meeting was squeezed into an hour long sitting, with councillors due at another meeting in the Greenwich Gallery, on top of the Woolwich Centre, by 7.30pm.

As councillors crossed the road from the Town Hall to the Woolwich centre, they were met by a highly vocal group of children from Blackheath Bluecoat school, chanting “save our school.”

The reception in the Greenwich Gallery saw former Conservative group leader Peter King awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Greenwich. Peter King was a councillor from 1978 until standing down before last year’s elections. He served at various times as both the leader of the group and the deputy leader.


Video, taken by local journalist Darryl Chamberlain, of councillors crossing from the Town Hall to the Woolwich Centre

Greenwich Council protest
Kids chanting “save our school” gathered at the steps of the Woolwich Centre as councillors attended a reception in the top floor “Greenwich Gallery”

Daily Photo: 26/10/2011 – The Woolwich Centre’s Gallery

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woolwichcentregallery

I was kindly sent this photo by someone who recently visited the Gallery – the large new space on top the Woolwich Centre. The room offers great views of the Town Hall opposite and the wider area.

A special meeting in the Gallery tonight will see the former leader of Greenwich Conservatives, Peter King, given the Freedom of the Borough of Greenwich.

Boundary Commission begins south London public hearings

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BOUNDARY review public hearings got under way today to examine the fate of south London’s parliamentary constituencies.

The Boundary Commission for England has been tasked with drawing up a new constituency map, reducing the number of MPs in England from 533 to 502.

Initial proposals published last month would see the town of Greenwich having two different MPs.

The Greenwich West council ward would become part of a new Deptford & Greenwich constituency while east Greenwich’s Peninsula ward would become part of a new constituency simply called Woolwich.

Parliamentary constituencies are put together by grouping council wards, and under the new review, every constituency should represent a number of registered electors btetween 72,810 and 80,473.

Current MP Nick Raynsford addressed the hearings today, taking place at Lewisham Town Hall, and outlined his own alternative proposal.

Raynsford suggests that the Greenwich & Woolwich constituency be maintained, with the addition of the Kidbrooke & Hornfair ward, and also Lewisham’s Blackheath ward. He proposes that Glyndon ward at the very east be moved into a different constituency.

Other political representatives and members of the public are expected to put forward their responses at the hearings which will conclude tomorrow.

Nick Raynsford’s proposal was also submitted in writing to the Boundary Commission and can be seen in full below:

Boundary Commission

You can also have your say via the Commissions website – submissions will be accepted until 5th December.

Olympic transport plans unveiled by London 2012 organisers

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LONDON 2012 organisers have unveiled a raft of measures to help Greenwich’s local transport network cope with the thousands of visitors expected for next summer’s Olympics.

Chief among the proposals, which went on display today and can be viewed by residents until Saturday, are road closures and an enlarged one way system around the town centre throughout the Olympics.

Greenwich Church Street will be closed to traffic, as will Straightsmouth at peak times and Greenwich High Road towards the town centre from the junction of Norman Road, as these become designated pedestrian routes from Greenwich railway station.

Marshals will guide the throngs of spectators along these routes and then down College Approach and through the Old Royal Naval College where they will then access Greenwich Park by crossing two new temporary footbridges across Romney Road.

Locog’s City Operations Manager, Jennifer Impett said of the proposed footbridges:

“We want to maintain the vehicle route as much as we can. The one way gyratory will be adding some pressure within the area so we need to maintain free flowing traffic as much as we can.”

A bridge is also proposed to get spectators arriving via Blackheath station across the A2 from the heath to Greenwich Park.

Drivers heading into Greenwich from Greenwich High Road will have to turn left at the Norman Road junction, before turning into Creek Road and then joining the existing one way system.

Organisers say that Cutty Sark DLR station will have to close during peak hours as it doesn’t have the capacity to deal with the volume of spectators.

Olympic ticket-holders tempted to try and park in Greenwich will find that hours have been extended in all Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ).

Areas within a 30 minute walking radius of the park which aren’t currently in a CPZ will have new temporary controls put in place to deter spectators planning to drive in, and residents and businesses will be issued with special Olympic parking permits.

Other key proposals include:

  • Closing Charlton Way and The Avenue/Blackheath Avenue from 7 July-8 September.
  • Closing the Lewisham-bound DLR platform at Greenwich train station, with passengers asked to join services Deptford Bridge instead.
  • Using the Blackwall Tunnel, the A2 and Prince Charles Road, Maze Hill Road, Park Vista and Park Row as Olympic Road Network routes for transporting athletes and the “Olympic family”.
  • Setting aside 100 car parking spaces for Blue Badge holders.
  • Establishing “park and ride” areas around Blackheath so spectators can be coached in from Bluewater and Lakeside.

The proposals, along with more planning documents, will soon be submitted to Greenwich Council as London 2012 organisers attempt to meet the conditions of its original planning application.

Clues as to the kind of stunning images viewers at home can expect were hinted at with maps showing the construction of a mile-long cable to carry a TV camera from Millwall Park high over the Thames, swooping across the Old Royal Naval College and equestrian arena in Greenwich Park before finishing near the General Wolfe statue.

London 2012 Venue General Manager for Greenwich Park, Jeremy Edwards, commented:  “We’re trying to do everything we can to make sure the experience next year is one of the most memorable for the people of Greenwich and the spectators.”

Remaining London 2012 Transport Drop In Sessions
Friday: 09.00 – 18.00
Saturday: 09.00 – 17.00
Devonport House, King William Walk, Greenwich

John Roan School redevelopment gets go-ahead

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GREENWICH Councillors  backed plans to redevelop John Roan secondary school at a Planning Board meeting last week.

John Roan’s Lower School in Westcombe Park Road will be demolished and replaced with a brand new school building, while the historic Upper School is to be refurbished and have new covered courtyards.

Parents of the children who attended the meeting were left angry by having to wait through the lengthy Shooters Hill Equestrian Centre planning application, calling it a “disgrace” when councillors finally got to consider the John Roan scheme late on Thursday night.

But frustration at the meeting’s agenda turned to jubilation at its decision, as councillors on the Planning Board supported the proposals.

The plans, which Greenwich.co.uk first reported on in August, received the unanimous support of councillors.

One John Roan student impressed councillors with an impassioned plea to back the proposal, with Cllr Hayley Fletcher telling her: “You are a credit to your school and I hope the new school buildings are a credit to you.”