Lewisham Council has proposed pedestrianising part of the high street between New Cross Road and Hamilton Street, seven days of the week.
This would see traffic banned from the road, which already shuts three days a week for markets, at certain hours of the day.
Exact timings have not yet been decided, but all of the options being considered would close the street between 11am and 5pm.
Campaign group Save Deptford High Street has pushed back against the plans, claiming that pedestrianisation threatens to cripple local businesses.
Rebecca Fall, who has lived in the area for the last five years, said that cutting off deliveries to shops during certain hours would favour wealthier businessowners.
“Certain kinds of businesses would be rewarded by these plans, and certain kinds of businesses would be punished,” she explained.
“Specifically, larger businesses and wealthier businesses which are able to get out-of-hours deliveries would be absolutely fine.
“But if you run a family business or you don’t have endless employees who you can pay to get an out-of-hours delivery, how are you going to be able to get your stock in?
“This will really turn Deptford into a theme park for the wealthy. It’s not a theme park, it’s our home.”
Deptford High Street would be pedestrianised at certain hours under plans proposed by Lewisham Council (Image: Google)
Lewisham Council has said that reducing traffic in Deptford High Street will help to improve air quality, and make it safer for pedestrians to get around.
But Ms Fall claimed the local authority was trying to create issues that do not exist “to try and push an agenda”.
“There are extremely polluted streets in south east London, like New Cross Road or Old Kent Road,” she said.
“But Deptford High Street is really not one of them. It’s not a car-clogged urban hell, it’s actually a very quiet market.
“Nobody considered those concerns about the environment until the council started pushing them.
“It’s so clearly a smokescreen for gentrification and this form of social cleansing.”
Adam Pugh, a prospective Green party candidate for Deptford ward councillor, has also written to Labour Mayor Brenda Dacres, raising concerns about the plans.
He said: “If we’re not careful—and if we don’t speak up now—Deptford could become the next cautionary tale. Deptford is not Shoreditch.
“The pedestrianisation of Deptford High Street may seem like a small piece of the puzzle, but it fits all too neatly into a much bigger picture of displacement through design.”
Lewisham Council has claimed that research shows that pedestrianisation of high streets increases footfall, reduces vacant units and increases sales.
A spokesperson added: “We are actively approaching impacted businesses on a one to one basis to hear their views and resolve issues that they bring to our attention.
“Lewisham has a proud history of celebrating and protecting our diverse communities and we are committed to ensuring that any proposed development builds on what is already great about Lewisham while making sure the area reflects the needs of everyone in the community.”
A council consultation on the plans will run until May 14.
