Lewisham braced for tailbacks as Gateway construction begins in earnest

Indicative massing of the buildings and road layout that will replace the roundabout

Major delays are expected on Lewisham's roads today as work begins on the remodelling of Lewisham town centre's layout, which will result in the replacement of the roundabout with a new road system, to allow for the development of the massive Lewisham Gateway development.

Lewisham Gateway is a long-delayed scheme that will create new housing, retail and leisure space in the heart of Lewisham. Construction work began earlier this year, when the site next to the station was dug up. Now, the temporary grass hummocks the Council created in lieu of any construction work have gone too and the road layout is next to bite the dust. This is Local London reports:

"The work - being carried out over 20 months - involves removing the roundabout where the A20 and A21 meet and re-configuring Loampit Vale, Station Road, Lewisham Road, Lewisham High Street and Molesworth Street."

The work will create  new pedestrian connections between the station and the shopping centre and free up land for development. The roundabout has had a deleterious effect on Lewisham for decades, but the disruption caused by the roadworks will be significant, and it is likely to lead to longer car journey times through Lewisham over the long-term.

The developers of Lewisham Gateway are hosting two public consultation days this week - here are the details if you want to attend:

Friday 18 July 2:30pm to 7pm Leemore Centre 29-39 Clarendon Rise Lewisham
Saturday 19 July 10:30am to 3pm Centre Square Lewisham Shopping Centre Lewisham High Street