Peabody Housing Association showed off its plans for Abbey Wood’s empty
Harrow Inn site this afternoon and given the time of day chosen (3 to 7 p.m.)
the average age of those in attendance just before 4 p.m. must have been around 70.
The building facing the Wilton Road/Abbey Road junction looked to be decent
enough but I couldn’t find anyone in favour of the Knee Hill end. It is a
massive 14 storeys high and will overlook every garden from McLeod Road to
Manorside Close and probably wreck television reception for anyone immediately
to the East still using Freeview.
The architect has tried to soften the outline by somehow allowing see through
panels but the high level view looked a bit too like a medieval castle to me. On
the other hand no one will be looking at it from that angle.
I didn’t like it but I am not sure why.
The present design incorporates 37% affordable homes with no provision made for
car parking apart from a handful for disabled use only. (†) In other words it is Sadiq Khan friendly.
As expected there will be retail units facing Wilton Road.
There were no leaflets to be taken away but
a few photographs may be seen here.
In other news Bexley Council has today confirmed what
those with their ear to the ground knew anyway. Commuters are
not going to get their car park back when Crossrail vacates their Felixstowe Road site.
† It has been reported that others who asked the same question were given different answers.