The Thames Cable Car is, of course, taking shape and now it even has an actual cable car hooked inside the under-construction station.

The distinctive red and yellow cranes helping construct the cable car have become a familiar sight from vantage points around Greenwich.

Photographer Tim Keeler recently sent me this picture showing the view in two different directions as you stand down by the newly redeveloped Greenwich Pier. He is unimpressed:

It could only happen in Greenwich! Having destroyed the wonderful character of the old Greenwich Pier by allowing the removal of the old pier buildings, that part of our local World Heritage site is slowly being Disneyfied in such a way that one wonders whether the planners and architects ever had the benefit of a proper education or sense of cultural heritage.

Thankfully in one direction we still have the serene beauty of the Thames river and the majestic architecture that the world comes to see in its droves. Turn around and in the other direction we have what appears to be, as someone recently said, a “1970’s primary school temporary annexe” – in fact the new ticket office and its built-in food units. Just the thing to impress tourists eh! Viewed from across the river it looks as though a giant public lavatory has been erected on the pier. A nice contrast against the backgound of the Old Royal Naval College. Christopher Wren must be turning over in his grave!

Lots of discussion of this on the Greenwich Phantom yesterday.

Update

The Phantom reports that the signage was put up without planning permission. This will now be considered by the council and ward councillor Matt Pennycook has indicated on Twitter that he thinks it should be considered by a planning committee of fellow councillors rather than officers.

@greenwichcouk @tgphantom I think Greenwich West ward Councillors will want it to come before committee

— Matthew Pennycook (@mtpennycook) March 2, 2012

Thanks to Daren for spotting that work has started on building the ‘Skywalk’ that will enable people to walk over the O2.

Early work was also just about visible in this photo I took of the O2, under a rather moody looking sky, last weekend.