The blocks would create 190 student rooms on the site of the former Speedy Services tool hire shop in Woolwich Road.
The shop was previously earmarked for redevelopment into conventional flats. This scheme was approved by Greenwich councillors in 2022, but the site was subsequently sold to a different developer.
AVF Developments has now proposed building three interconnected student accommodation blocks, the tallest of which would be seven-storeys high.
At a planning meeting last week (February 20), councillors said that visually the new plans were better than the previous scheme, which was one continuous block.
Despite this, one neighbour living in Dandridge Close, which backs onto the development site, said that he had concerns that the blocks were too tall and would block sunlight to his home.
But councillors suggested that they were more concerned about the number of student block schemes that were coming before the borough’s planning committee.
“I’m a bit sceptical of some of these schemes which are a way of ramping up the value of the site without any real intention to deliver it,” said Cllr Dave Sullivan.
“I do think that quite a lot of these have been in the pipeline, we’ve consented them and I haven’t seen any sign of them yet.”
The developer has said that work on the blocks in Woolwich Road could start early next year.
Councillors added that there were already 3,700 new student room on their way as part of already consented schemes.
Two student blocks in Woolwich, including one at the site of the council’s former offices at Riverside House, were recently given planning permission.
Chair of the planning committee, Cllr Gary Dillon, also raised concerns that there were 28,000 families waiting on the borough’s housing list.
He added that the previous plans for the site would have provided conventional homes, which have been lost in the updated proposals.
The developer said that while student accommodation does not contribute directly to Greenwich’s housing supply, it can help free up family homes for those who need them.
They added that studies suggest there is still a significant shortfall in student accommodation in the area.
Cllr Dillon also questioned whether there would be sufficient waste management on the site.
“You’ve got a number of students and as we’re well aware they like eating pizzas and takeaways and god knows what,” he said.
“What I’m asking is how is the building supervised and how will you make sure that the recycling is recyclable and not contaminated.”
Despite councillors’ misgivings, the planning committee voted to approve the scheme.
Cllr Dillon said: “I will be supporting the application because student accommodation is classed as affordable and a necessity.”
“So, trying to get this to an appeal would cost us a lot of time and money and we probably have little chance of winning because there is a precedent set from the previous application that was approved.”
