At a meeting next week (September 10), Lewisham Council’s Cabinet members are set to approve the use of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) funds to help support the delivery of Surrey Canal station in south east London.
The station, which would be located between Queens Road Peckham and Surrey Quays on the Windrush line, was first proposed when the Overground line was extended to Clapham Junction in the early 2010s.
Surrey Canal station has been dubbed “critical” to unlocking the full housing potential in the area, as well as improving connectivity for future residents and existing residents.
SCIL allows local authorities to raise funds from developers who are undertaking projects in the area and helps deliver infrastructure needed within the borough, such as new hospitals, schools, social care facilities and transport.
The SCIL money would go towards supporting TfL with the detailed design works of the station and, if it receives the required funding, design work would begin in early 2026 and complete in early 2028.
After this and subject to meeting the current funding gap, constructing the station would begin and is expected to take around two years.
In 2018, Transport for London (TfL) secured a grant from the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) for six projects along the Windrush line which included a new station at Surrey Canal Road.
However due to significant budget pressures, other projects were prioritised and plans for Surrey Canal station were paused in 2021. The programme had to be split into two phases, with Surrey Canal station forming part of the second phase.
Projects which have been funded through phase one include new step-free station access at Surrey Quays station, and traction power and signalling upgrades which have supported the increase in trains from 16 to 20 per hour.
Last year TfL secured £25million from the developer, Renewal Group, which is building around 3,500 new homes in South Bermondsey however, the amount of ‘affordable’ housing that will be built on site has now been reduced.
According to a Cabinet report which will be discussed by Lewisham’s leadership next week, TfL intends to bid for further HIF funding to help support the delivery of phase two.
Cabinet members have been recommended to approve the use of SCIL to help fund the delivery of the station at a meeting next week.
