Woolwich gives verdict on new tower blocks and student halls

Woolwich: Royal Arsenal Riverside is one of many new housing complexes in southeast London. The area is buzzing with development.

A new Elizabeth line station makes it easy to reach the City in just 20 minutes. Woolwich is quickly becoming a hotspot for new projects.

The area is still changing. Across from the tall riverside apartments is the old Riverside House, which is set for redevelopment.

Riverside House currently serves as artist studios. Its worn, grey exterior shows a different time before the developers arrived.

With over 10,000 square meters of space, it’s clear the offices won’t stay as they are for long.

Recently approved plans will convert the 14-storey building into 332 student rooms. The nearby low-rise block will become a Holiday Inn hotel.

Developer CityInc is eager to start work and hopes to welcome students in under three years.

At the same planning meeting, another developer got the green light for a new 12-storey student tower on Beresford Street.

This new tower will be next to a 14-storey student block already under construction at the former Woolwich Catholic Club site.

Cllr Sandra Bauer said Woolwich would soon be a “student town again.”

Laurence, a council worker in Woolwich for 22 years, noted the area has changed a lot. He doesn’t mind students, as long as they behave.

However, he worries about the lack of infrastructure like GPs and hospitals for the growing community.

Just last week, another large development was proposed on the high street, including a 23-storey apartment block near the leisure center.

New buildings are popping up all over Woolwich. Judy, a retired legal secretary from Shooters Hill, questions who can afford these new homes.

She loves living in the area but fears young people will be priced out. Judy feels lucky to own her home.

She advises young people to consider moving abroad. Many work hard but struggle to make ends meet, which she finds unfair.