Bell Green would like to claim its £1m please. With compound interest since 1993, that should have built up a nice little fund..... In 1993, a section 106 agreement was signed by British Gas and Lewisham Council, for Phase 1 of the Bell Green gasworks redevelopment, the Sainsburys Savacentre hypermarket. This agreement, and the 2006 … Continue reading Will Lewisham audit its Section 106 agreements? (No laughing at the back…..)
Listed, then neglected?
In 1995, the Livesey Memorial Hall, its boundary wall and War Memorial were all awarded Grade II listed status. This came in the aftermath of the nationalised gas industry privatisation, and in response to the 1993 outline planning permission for redevelopment of the remainder of Sydenham Gasworks. Over 20 years later, the Hall is basically … Continue reading Listed, then neglected?
Livesey’s legacies
The Livesey Memorial Hall In the 2006 Planning Officer's Report, it was stated that the Phase 3 of the gasworks redevelopment would secure the future of the Livesey Memorial Hall as a community social club. Having originally wished to redevelop the Hall as a restaurant, the developers had agreed to give the community a chance … Continue reading Livesey’s legacies
Lewisham: where betrayal comes as standard.
In 1993, planning agreement was granted for phase 1 of the Bell Green gasworks redevelopment, building the Savacentre (now Sainsburys) hypermarket and fuel station on Southend Lane. A schedule of Section 106 conditions was attached, which makes very interesting reading. Each of the improvements we are currently seeking for Bell Green was a condition of … Continue reading Lewisham: where betrayal comes as standard.
Bell Green redux?
Linear Park The Bell Green gasworks site appears grim, yet it has huge potential which has been squandered by the developers. To put the gasholders' land value into context, we need to look at the wider gasworks site, and the squandering of its potential. Bell Green Sydenham. Red: gasworks site. Blue: gasholders. Green: park entrances. … Continue reading Bell Green redux?
Upwardly mobile gasholders…..
Gasholders have long been part of our urban landscape; their ubiquity has led to being undervalued. Currently, they are vanishing however, and gas industry history is becoming invisible. Nobody expects the Bell Green examples to be preserved in their original state; they need to work to earn their space. Fortunately, they have huge potential for … Continue reading Upwardly mobile gasholders…..
Bell Green: industrial landbank
The Sydenham Gasworks at Bell Green shaped the development of Lower Sydenham, and continues to define it decades after production ceased. The buildings are gone, but most of the works lie under tarmac, landbanked in the guise of vast, underused car parks. Springtime at Bell Green: 20 April 2019 Stunted trees struggle to survive, litter, … Continue reading Bell Green: industrial landbank
The story so far …
Sydenham is proud of its Bell Green gasholders, visible from the arc of high ground from the Sydenham Ridge to Lewisham. They are a dramatic backdrop to the Livesey Memorial Hall, a listed building which was the social club for the gasworks The Livesey Memorial Hall & gasholders The Sydenham Society have fought to keep … Continue reading The story so far …
Sydenham Gasworks 