Brockley Rise arcade

Renovations taking place at the old chip shop, William Hill, Brockley News and Yardley’s. Any clue what may be coming in their places?

Exciting. Such a good location for so many people let’s hope it’s something good.

I walked past this morning and thought the same - no idea what is going in though, other than the new flats!

Would be great if most of those spaces get filled - we now have 195 Cafe, Pizzarte and the 2 music shops and whatever else is coming in - it could be quite a transformation over a few years.

A post was merged into an existing topic: New cafe at 195 Stanstead Road

I’m also interested to know what is happening with what used to be Muck & Brass. Work started and a decked area was built outside. But the awning has since been removed, and it now seems like the deck is going to rot pretty quickly in this weather.

Quite a lot of activity in recent months. People will be aware of Sans Store, Pizzarte and the Caribbean restaurant.

Also, Whistles the hair salon has been renovated and there’s been some new flats built above them.

Current work being undertaken is the old chippy (not sure what they’re doing, but looks like half of it will give access to the upstairs flats, the old Yardley’s grocers is being renovated (builders were removing asbestos last week, again no idea what’s coming but I think they’rebuilding something upstairs), the old William Hill is having a lot of work (this may be the new art gallery) and finally, one of the music shops has less activity, but has been gutted.

Good to see a bit of work taking place.

Would love to know what’s coming as well as the old Topps Tiles on Stansted Road.

I noticed that - don’t remember it being open in any form in the 15 or 16 years we’ve lived here. I wonder if it’s just for work upstairs as there is scaffolding all up the building, or if there are any actual plans for the shop itself. Brockley Rise there near Dalmain and and the section near the Post Office have had quite a revival the last few years so those empty shops are probably more attractive now, despite the current lockdown.

You’re probably right. I hope they renovate it. It’s quite deep and would make a great nail bar

The Lewisham Local Plan identifies the Jenner centre as being a possibly development site for 40 residential ‘units’ as well as smartening the site on three sides, so that little parade might actually get a fair bit of a boost if that were to happen…

Does the plan say what would happen to the doctors’ surgery if that work were to go ahead?

It says this on page 27 of 53 in the PDF:

Do you know if

re-provision of health facilities

means it will be provided within the development, or must be provided elsewhere? Am assuming if this did go ahead at some point Jenner would need to close during the works at least, and therefore might move completely, though I hope not as:

a) it’s near me!
b) it’s at the junction of quite a few bus routes (122, 171, 185) which cover a good local range.
c) it’s right next to a pharmacy which is handy.

I can’t see how they can redevelop the whole site without the Jenner having to move elsewhere even if they say it’s only “temporarily”!

When I first moved to Forest Hill over 30 years ago and needed to register with a doctor the Jenner didn’t have a great reputation with any of my new neighbours and the Vale didn’t exist so on their recommendation I registered with Perry Hill Surgery which was in the large detached house that is now Grace’s Day Nursery opposite the Houston Road junction (I was younger and fitter then so thought nothing of the 15-20 minute walk from Sunderland Road!). However quite a few years later the surgery advised they were having to relocate and would be moving into a brand new medical centre that was being included in the St Georges Church development on Woolstone Road. However as a temporary measure the surgery was moved to a portacabin in the grounds of Livesey Memorial Hall! This was ok but could be a bit chilly in the winter but if I remember rightly it took 7 years for the permanent surgery to be ready and become what is now Woolstone Medical Centre.

I’ve twice been a patient at a doctor’s surgery where redevelopment had happened. In both cases we ended up with a vastly superior surgery. Here’s hoping for the same.

20210224_0832003024×4032 2.54 MB

Now above the old chippy with a new glass door.

That’s exciting! Looks like it took a while, almost 2 years and still not done, but that parade is really coming along.

Their website is here:

And 30 years later it’s still terrible. Though not as bad as the chemist next. Incompetent twits the lot of them!

The place next to ArtDog (the old William Hill) has been painted a deep green and filled with houseplants over the weekend, so something new must be coming soon:

IMG_20210504_0818423000×4000 2.15 MB

Apparently it’s going to be a plant and coffee shop opening on 28th May

Ohh, is that going to be the one there was the survey for previously I wonder: Premises next to Clapton Craft? - #32 by christina_1

19 Brockley Rise.
Looked in there yesterday and saw these lovely plants.

20210504_1631053024×4032 2.41 MB

20210504_1631154032×3024 2.09 MB

I hope they do cut flowers. Certainly coming to life this row of shops.

There certainly is a lot differently happening along there. Number 15 - the old Iceni Music Shop - also has a planning application (DC/21/121146) to change the use of the ground floor to add a new flat / maisonette.

Screenshot_20210505-2001253153×1067 354 KB

I can’t tell from the documents, are they replacing the shop with the flat? It describes the existing rooms as an office rather than a shop, so perhaps not, but then the diagrams don’t show that there would still be shop space in front of the flat…

The before and after plans definitely show the ‘ground floor’ ‘office space’ changing to a tiny ‘studio apartment’ of 44m² with access from the street, and the application describes it adding one new private dwelling.

They refer to it as previously being B1, maybe there was a prior change of use, or maybe they hope it is more likely to be approved if changing from office rather than retail space. It’s also possible that the Cardiff-based agent just made a mistake.

Interesting, seems a shame to lose a shop front when the arcade is improving, particularly for such a small flat, but I suppose there isn’t anything objectively wrong about it.

Yes - I certainly don’t envy the planning department on deciding this one, but it does remind me of the old Lolo’s Patisserie application (DC/17/102874) to convert that to a tiny flat, in that case only 34m². That was refused in 2017 with the following reason:

It took another 3 years before that site was occupied, but I think it was worth the wait to be come Forest Hill Bistro.

That new plant shop on Brockley Rise is looking good. Called Mmea (the Swahili for ‘plant’) it’s opening on May 29th.

20210516_0812291969×1188 750 KB

Oh yes, it’s really coming along:

IMG_20210516_1049183620×2267 1.6 MB

IMG_20210516_1045422448×3264 1.34 MB

Hello Mmea, we look forward to you opening

I think they might already be open? I got a little wave from the owner yesterday as I double backed to have a look.

Popped in just now and the owner said it is the bank holiday weekend - 29th - that they open

Wishful thinking

Looks awesome, v.exciting addition!

The planning application to convert number 15 (the old Iceni Music Shop) to a flats, DC/21/121146, was refused yesterday for one reason:

Meanwhile Mmea continues to look good:

IMG_20210525_0801174000×2270 1.42 MB

Not surprised that they’ll struggle to get enough natural light with their designs, would be great to see it retained as retail as the strip of shops improves.

Yes - you only have to look up the road at the corner on the A205 where Sunderland Road meets Waldram Park Road to see how shops to flat conversions doesn’t improve an area. I’m not sure what the actual quality of the housing there is like inside, but I suspect there’s not much light or clean air on the ground floors

IMG_20210513_0820102943×2214 1.58 MB

Seeing that picture makes me think to ask whether anyone knows what happened to the Polish shop on that parade? I used to love picking a few bits and pieces up there, but haven’t seen it open when I’ve driven past for a really long time now.

It’s open most days I walk past.

It’s always been open when I’ve walked past it on my walks. Even up to a week or two ago.

Ah, thanks - on reflection I think I mostly pass by on Sundays, when it’s likely to be closed in any case.

Yep the polish shop is pretty good, managed to pick up a few bits when everyone was going crazy for loo role and bread.

Regarding the parade of shops… around the corner you have this white monstrosity which seems to have completely ignored its planning.

image4032×3024 5.19 MB

This is the latest case drawings which have been ejected…

https://planning.lewisham.gov.uk/online-applications/files/897A137D45D6EA3425D2C5F54A0A5F5A/pdf/DC_21_119840-PROPOSED_ELEVATIONS-979002.pdf

The basement flat has a tiny strip window behind those bins for natural light…

And prior to that planning application, the change of use to flats was rejected - due to lack of natural light - under DC/20/118314.

I assume that’s what happened the the shop conversions around the corner? They ignore the planning permission and the council doesn’t check up or make them change it back.

I went past yesterday just after 5.30pm and Jagiello’s (the polish del were definitely open!

Mmea looking even better today. I said hello to the owner - they have a lot of plants outside and inside the collection looks amazing - quite a few huge ones and some rarities. Looking forward to becoming a regular customer!

It looks amazing… I have no room for any more plants but suspect I might eat those words.

Looked even better today. They open this Saturday. Can’t wait.

Hello! I’ve been trying to figure out what the deal is with that green shop front with all the plants is for a while now. Do you know anything about it? Is it a plant shop? Or has someone just decorated it to make it look nice for people passing by?

Are you referring to the building on the corner at the junction of Waldram Park Road and Sunderland Rd? If so - it isn’t a plant shop. I was recently told by someone who lives nearby that the plants belong to the person who lives above the empty shop and has a love of plants!

don’t think it’s that as the thread is for Brockley Rise

Is it this:

I am assuming you don’t mean Mmea?

https://mmea.london/

Although the title of the thread is Brockley Rise Arcade a photo of the building on the corner of Waldram Park Rd and Sunderland Rd was posted on May 25th! As it’s painted green and permanently has plants outside I thought it might be the building @Pema_Monaghan was asking about.

A-ha! I missed that, and in that case you might be right!

The green shop is being lived in by the owner, who indeed has a love of plants “acquired” from around forest hill amongst other things. There is no connection to the flats above from my understanding.