Woolwich Crossrail station deal 'close'

A funding commitment for the £100m fit-out of Woolwich Crossrail station is expected to be finalised within two weeks, according to two stakeholders in the negotiations.

John Anderson, regional chairman for Berkeley Homes, which is proposing to build 2,500 homes above and around the station, told the New London Architecture conference on the London boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham on Friday that a funding agreement for the fit-out would be agreed “in the next week or so”.

Meanwhile Sam Richards, head of urban integration for Crossrail, told the same conference he expected “there’ll be positive news in the next couple of weeks”.

An £80m skeleton station was completed in February, but the fit-out has been dependent on Transport for London, the government, Berkeley Homes and Greenwich council thrashing out a funding package for the fit-out works.

Transport for London set a deadline of this month for a funding package to be agreed and did not discount the possibility of trains running through the empty box without stopping if an funding agreement for the fit-out could not be reached.

Richards said planning work for the Weston Williamson-designed station was ongoing, with design work on the urban realm surrounding the station beginning this month.