Lewisham ‘ghost town’ fears as new-builds sit empty for over a year

CAMPAIGNERS fear central Lewisham could become a “ghost town” after we discovered dozens of flats have sat empty for more than a year on a new-build site.

Lewisham Council slapped a 100% council tax premium on 42 properties in Silver Road, Lewisham, that have been empty for more than a year, our Freedom of Information request found.

It means that Silver Road has a more long-term empty properties than any other street in the borough.

London Square Development built five commercial units and 141 flats at Axion House, 1 Silver Street, in 2023.

During our visit, all of the commercial units appeared to be empty and the sign at the front said they were “available”.

Silver Road sign — **PICTURED: We discovered 42 properties on Silver Road have been empty for a year**

Campaigners are now worried that the huge Lewisham Shopping Centre development, which is set to bring more than 1,700 new homes to the area, could suffer the same fate.

Lewisham People’s Assembly Secretary John McGrath said: “It shows central Lewisham could become a ghost town if the shopping centre development goes ahead as planned.

“If we’re going to build more than 1,700 flats at Lewisham Shopping Centre and developers are not able to fill these flats in Silver Road, how many people are going to move into the flats at the shopping centre site?

“We have a housing crisis and we need to get people into housing. I think the Silver Road flats are empty because people can’t afford them.

“We should increase the percentage of proposed social housing flats at the Lewisham Shopping Centre site. Over 10,000 people in Lewisham are on the waiting list for council housing.

“If people aren’t able to get into social housing they will be pushed out of the borough. And that’s not right – people who have been here for a long time should be able to live here.”

John added that less than 6% of the new flats – 98 properties – at the Lewisham Shopping Centre site are designated for social housing.

One resident who bought a home at 1 Silver Road last year told the Lewisham Letter that sales staff informed him around 30 flats on the site are unsold.

A local added: “I think it’s outrageous there are so many empty flats. They could be used for social housing.

“The same problem that’s happened here (at 1 Silver Road) will happen with the Lewisham Shopping Centre development.

“The percentage of flats they want to do as social housing on the shopping centre development is disgusting.

“Based on this example they should be allocating much more of the Lewisham Shopping Centre flats for social housing.

“Otherwise what happens to the families who have been waiting on the housing list for 10 or 15 years?

“You put up these posh flats for people who don’t even live here, or know this area, and push out people like myself.

“I don’t mind people moving into Lewisham but not at the detriment of local people who have been here for decades and decades.”

Former Lewisham councillor Tom Copley, who is now Deputy Mayor of London for Housing, lay a plaque on the roof of the 16-storey block at 1 Silver Road during the topping out ceremony in 2023.

At the time, he said: “I was delighted to join Square Roots and London Square for the topping out ceremony in Silver Road, a 100 per cent affordable housing development in Lewisham town centre part-funded by City Hall.

“This scheme will deliver 141 new affordable homes fit for the 21st century, supporting our aim to continue building a fairer and more prosperous London for everyone.”

The flats at Axion House are a mix of shared ownership, London Affordable Rent and social housing.

A deposit is still required for shared ownership homes and minimum household income thresholds apply.

In a previous Lewisham Council meeting about the 1 Silver Road development, councillor Liz Johnston-Franklin warned the threshold for the shared ownership homes at the site was not suited to local residents.

A spokesman for Landsec, the owner of Lewisham Shopping Centre, told the Lewisham Letter: “Our plans for Lewisham would deliver a reimagined shopping centre, ensuring a thriving town centre and providing much-needed spaces, facilities and homes that will benefit local communities and businesses.

“Landsec has been a part of the community in Lewisham for the past 20 years and the proposals were shaped with more than 3,000 people living and working nearby.

“The meadow on top of the shopping centre, a community-owned music venue, the model market re-opening and creating both covered and uncovered shopping areas were ideas thought-up by local people.

“The comprehensive redevelopment also includes over 1,700 homes – 20 per cent of which will be a mix of different affordable housing options to rent, including social housing and London Living Rent homes for key workers.”

London Square Development was approached for comment.

Home » News » Lewisham ‘ghost town’ fears as new-builds sit empty for over a year

Lewisham ‘ghost town’ fears as new-builds sit empty for over a year

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