On Thursday evening Greenwich Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee was informed that initial work had started on the Greenwich Centre (to be based on the old Greenwich Hospital site). 

The Committee was informed that plans for the new centre include:-

·        645 homes in 5 blocks (of which 314 homes will be affordable & 53 will be family homes).

The January Council meeting felt a lot like the calm before the storm as the proposed Council budget is bought before members in the next month (or so, as the date keeps being shifted).  There were serious items on the agenda and some which were relatively uncontroversial. 

The Council’s plan to introduce a Greenwich gyratory system and pedestrianise two sides of the market has run into trouble over the massive increase in traffic on residential roads that this would cause. 

According to a local residents association, Hyder Consulting estimates that if the Gyratory and Traffic Calming Measures are introduced, at best, Burney Street would get double the present levels of traffic, Circus Street 3 times the present amount and Maidenstone Hill would have a 50% increase.

Cllr Spencer Drury writes “Today I attended a meeting between Greenwich Council Officers and a police officer to look at the signs telling cyclists where they could and could not ride in the area of the Cutty Sark. 

On the 9th of September, Eltham North Conservative Councillor and Planning Board member Dermot Poston spoke at Greenwich Hospital’s appeal against the Council’s decision to deny planning permission to its redevelopment of Greenwich Market.

Dermot was a member of the Planning Board which rejected the plans for Greenwich Market, which included removing much of the interior of the market, creating a wood-clad hotel in the centre and (it is feared) damaging the unique features of the current market. 

On Tuesday 20th July, local Conservative representatives Ryan Acty (Greenwich West) and Malcolm Reid (Peninsula) attended the Transition Greenwich forum to discuss how best to balance the various transport, business, residential and visitor requirements of Greenwich Town Centre in terms of traffic management. The meeting was held in St Alfege’s Church Hall and was well attended by local residents, community groups and businesses.

Transition Westcombe and other Transition Towns in Greenwich are joining together to organize meetings about issues which affect a wide area, and are forming a network called Transition Greenwich.

During the consultation at Davenport house last weekend, a number of Conservatives responded to the Council's preferred option for a one-way gyratory system clockwise on Creek Rd, Greenwich Church St, Greenwich High Rd and Norman Rd.

Among comments made to different Conservatives visiting the consultation were:

Malcolm Reid (centre right) lead a team of Greenwich Conservaties out canvassing in and around Farmdale Road asking people what they thought of the recent Budget by George Osborne Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Commuters from Maze Hill have seen outrageous fare increases over the years as South Eastern introduced a Zonal Fare pricing strategy.