Shaping East Greenwich – what we learned at the 2025 EGRA AGM

At our AGM on 26 March 2025, we asked one big question: what kind of place should East Greenwich be in 10 years’ time?

It’s the first step in building a Neighbourhood Plan – a legal document that lets residents influence what gets built, what gets protected, and how change is managed in our area. We also need to form a Neighbourhood Forum, which will bring local people together to lead that work.

To get things moving, we ran five themed discussion groups. Here’s what we heard, and what happens next.

What’s changing, and why it matters

East Greenwich is changing fast. Developers are putting up tower blocks. Schools and GPs are under pressure. Bus services are being cut. Green space is shrinking. Public consultation often feels like an afterthought.

But there’s now a way to push back.

Neighbourhood Plans are part of national planning law. Once adopted, they carry legal weight when planning decisions are made. They can:

• Set preferred building heights

• Protect local green spaces

• Push for specific community uses on key sites

• Define what kind of housing we actually need

And there’s more. From December 2023, councils were given new powers to force landlords to rent out high street shops that have been empty for over a year. That gives us a real opening to fix neglected parts of Trafalgar Road and Woolwich Road.

With a strong Neighbourhood Plan, we can demand the council uses those powers here – to support small business, create community space, and make our high street worth walking along again.

What we heard in each group

1. Local area currently

The main feeling? Frustration.

• Residents feel cut out of local decision-making.

• New buildings go up, but there's no investment in the public realm.

• There’s a lack of welcoming spaces for people to meet, work, or gather.

• Public maintenance is slipping – bins overflow, street lighting is patchy, graffiti isn’t removed.

• Volunteering is strong but under-supported. People want to help but can’t carry the load alone.

People value East Greenwich – its location, its green space, its history – but they feel like the basics aren’t being taken seriously by the Council or developers.

2. Future vision

This was a hopeful conversation. People talked about what they want to protect and what they want to see change.

• Safer walking and cycling routes, especially around schools and Tube links.

• Housing that’s actually affordable to live in, not just to buy off-plan.

• Genuinely public green space – not token lawns between buildings.

• Buildings that are low-carbon to build and run.

• A better mix of residents – not just short-term renters or investors.

There’s strong support for long-term thinking: planning that builds community, not just units.

3. Land use

This group talked about what’s being built, where, and why it so often feels wrong.

• Developments are too dense and too high.

• Sites are treated in isolation, not as part of a neighbourhood.

• Council planning lacks transparency – and strategic direction.

• Industrial sites, like Tunnel Avenue and Peartree Way, need a rethink.

• Access to the river is being lost – fenced off, poorly maintained, or hemmed in by private buildings.

People want to see sites used for things that add local value: independent businesses, shared workspaces, health services, or homes that meet real needs.

The Neighbourhood Plan can set expectations for how land is used – what we want more of, what we don’t, and what has to come with it (like public toilets, transport, and green space).

4. Green spaces and green infrastructure

There’s huge local pride in green spaces like East Greenwich Pleasaunce and Walnut Tree Open Space – but also real concern.

• Some spaces feel unsafe after dark due to poor lighting.

• Rubbish and fly-tipping are common.

• New developments come with poor-quality landscaping and no space for older children or teenagers.

• Tree planting is inconsistent and often short-lived.

• Volunteers clean and garden, but struggle without basic council support.

People suggested:

• Creating green corridors linking spaces

• Replanting neglected street verges

• Adding signage, benches, and bins

• Using biodiversity net gain rules to fund improvements

The Neighbourhood Plan can protect existing sites, identify new ones, and require better design and maintenance in future schemes.

5. Identity and character

This discussion focused on what makes East Greenwich feel like itself – and how that’s being eroded.

• Developments are generic. Nothing says “East Greenwich” about them.

• Building materials and colours are often out of character.

• There’s no link between new names and local history.

• Existing views, paths and patterns are being blocked or ignored.

• The area's industrial and maritime heritage isn’t celebrated or made visible.

People want:

• Stronger design codes

• Height limits that reflect context, not developer preference

• Preservation of key sightlines, paths, and public views

• Heritage-led development and naming

This isn’t about nostalgia – it’s about place. If everything looks the same, people won’t care about it. And once character’s gone, it doesn’t come back.

What happens next

We’ll now take this input and:

• Draft priorities for a Neighbourhood Plan

• Set up a Neighbourhood Forum to lead it

• Work with the Council to demand practical, visible change

If you live or work in East Greenwich, you can join the Forum and shape what comes next.

email us at info@egra.london if you’d like to get involved