Sainsburys is about to start consulting on plans to redevelop the area at the front of its store in New Cross Gate. The plans involve demolishing the petrol station and warehouse stores (Currys etc.) and filling in the gap with street frontage, including shops and housing. This fits in with the New Deal for New Cross proposals to try and create more of a high street feel along New Cross Road, with the front of the Sainsbury's site currently a gaping hole.
It does all beg the question of why nobody thought of this when the store was built in the 1990s. Putting the car park at the front rather than behind Sainsburys meant that people without cars have always had a long walk to do their shopping, let alone the perilous trip through a dark and empty car park to visit the cashpoint late at night.
The leaflet put out by Sainsburys does mention some public facilities, but with qualifications - 'possibly a nursery or community facility', 'potentially a new station'. If it's the latter lets hope that it isn't going to mean another lengthy closure of parts of the service from there.
Sainsburys have set up a website for the consultation - but there's nothing on it yet (they promise there will be from January 23rd). There will also be a number of exhibitions:
Friday 23rd January, 12 to 8 pm , Sainsburys;
Saturday 24th January, 12 to 8 pm , Sainsburys;
Wednesday 28th January, 2 to 8 pm, Electric Empire, 182 New Cross Road;
Thursday 29th January, 2 to 8 pm, Telegraph Hill Centre, Kitto Road.
Thankfully at least it is one of the nicer supermarkets in the area.. much nicer than Lewisham Tesco, I just wish they were open as late!
ReplyDeleteCar driver here so not worried about the walk but one week I didnt have a car and felt a bit rubbish lugging bags of shopping up to get the bus from the main street.
Whatever they do I hope they leave the two junk shops alone. They've often got interesting and bizarre objects on display.
ReplyDeleteLondon's got hardly any junk shops left so it's nice to see them still there.
Can't say I ever look forward to going to Sainsbury's or any other supermarket tbh, it's always a chore. Lewisham market is better for fruit n veg anyway, cheaper and it's got some atmosphere.
Once saw some old photos from the early 1900s of New Cross Road and there were quite a number of market stalls in evidence along it. I wonder when they disappeared?