Yesterday I snapped the two shops on Kirkdale/Railway Bridge next to Sydenham DIY being demolished. You may remember them as the former dry cleaners and hairdressers. Both of which we patronised until their forced closure. It was so annoying to see nothing happening for what, five or so years? They fell into an eyesoring decline.
At least they are now gone. The site was failed to sell a number of times and was the ill fatedly planned by Antic to be a bar/restaurant with flats above.
Does this mean somebody is now going to build something and when? If this coincides with the rebuilding of the Greyhound and opening of Sainsbury's Local will make this area an interesting and possibly lively enclave at the top of our high street.
Yes, I noticed it too, but unfortunately what seems to happen is that things get demolished and then left for years and various planning requests are put in until something bog standard gets built because people just want anything built in it's place rather than a derelict space promoting anti social behaviour.
I hope this isn't the case here. But how long was Bell Green empty since the gasworks were knocked down for and how many planning applications put it? How long was the patch of land that became the Naborhood centre empty for after they knocked down the theatre? How long has the old blind factory in the high street been empty for? And how long have these two shops been boarded up for?
I hope eventually they will be a great addition to the high street, but we should keep an eye on them to ensure that whatever is built is good quality.
The property was recently bought at auction (with planning permission for flats / bar below), and quickly resold. I assume the new purchaser intends to develop the site according to the previously-granted planning permission.
Understood building to exant permission going on off site to be craned in, which would deal with possible problems with erecting a building so close to the railway.
Will basement be excavated as per permission? Watching brief ongoing. Final use for street level units not known as yet.
One good thing is removal of adjacent unsightly flyposting site.
