Lewisham Council approved some major developments in 2025, from the regeneration of Lewisham Shopping Centre to the demolition and redevelopment of the Achilles Street Estate in New Cross.
While the revised plans for the redevelopment of Leegate Shopping Centre means we will see 620 new homes, a community centre, commercial floorspace and a pub built on the site.
In 2025 the borough also saw a new community venue and pub open in Catford, which features a refurbished pub hall, a landscape garden, a newly installed lift and smaller spaces which can be used for workshops or smaller bookings.
The Catford House, formerly the Catford Constitutional Club, opened on November 19 and can also be hired for private parties and will host pop-up events, fitness classes, workshops, exhibitions and more.
In November, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) also reported on how two dozen First World War heroes who were buried in unmarked graves for over a century will be honoured for their contributions to the war effort and will finally receive their own headstones.
Lewisham Council, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) and The Friends of Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery worked together to locate the 23 servicemen and one woman who served in the Women’s Royal Air Force and were all buried in “pauper’s graves” at Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery.
It certainly was a busy year for the South London borough, and 2026 has just as much going on.
The LDRS has compiled a list of the biggest developments coming to the borough, including the reopening of a library and a popular street food market which closed in 2019.
Lewisham Library – completed by autumn 2026
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Lewisham Library has been closed since 2023 to allow for a major refurbishment which will reopen with brand-new features including a business hub, performance spaces, meeting rooms and a café.
Better lighting, CCTV, pedestrian crossings and cycle lanes are also part of the refurbishment. At the start of December, the council said construction is expected to be completed by autumn 2026.
Reopening of Model Market – apply by March to be part of it
Lewisham’s Model Market will be reopening in spring 2026, having been closed for the last few years.
The market was a popular food court which closed in 2019, but is being brought back into major use following the approval of the redevelopment of Lewisham Shopping Centre.
Landsec, which owns the site and is in charge of redeveloping Lewisham Shopping Centre, has vowed to bring back the market as a hub for independent kitchens, local makers, and creative spaces.
The market is set to take inspiration from its original 1950s market style, and will feature retro shopfronts and string lights. Street-food traders, independent chefs, drinks partners, bakers and artists who are keen in joining the new Model Market have until March 1, 2026 to apply online.
A spokesperson at Model Market, said: “With a nostalgic design inspired by mid-century shopfronts and a commitment to modern, sustainable values, the new Model Market will feel both timeless and completely new, a reimagined street market for a new generation.
“We want to champion local talent, and whether you’re running a kitchen concept, a small shop, or planning community events, we’d love to hear from brands who want to help shape Lewisham’s next great social space.”
Work to begin on former homeless hostel site in Lee Green
The delivery of 64 new flats on the site of a former homeless hostel in Lee Green is set to begin in early 2026.
Planning permission was approved back in February 2024 for the demolition of Mayfield Hostel in Burnt Ash Hill to make way for 23 social rent homes and 41 Shared Ownership homes across three buildings.
The hostel has since been demolished and Lewisham Council has appointed The Hill Group as the main contractor for the redevelopment of the site. The homes will be a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom flats and the site will also include communal gardens, children’s play areas and landscaping that retains trees and will support future residents to grow their own food.
Work to begin on New homes in Catford
Work is set to begin in 2026 on building more than 100 affordable homes at Thomas’ Lane Yard, an under used car park site north of Catford Broadway.
The major regeneration scheme will also see green public spaces, commercial and affordable workspace built on the same site.
The affordable homes will consist of 39 social rent homes and 74 shared ownership flats in two separate blocks which will be eight and twelve storeys respectively. This scheme is being funded by Lewisham Council and is also being supported by £1.65million in funding from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund.
Search continues for Ladywell Playtower development partner
In December Lewisham Council announced it was looking for a new partner to restore and secure the future of the Grade II listed Ladywell Playtower.
In September, the council reversed previous planning approval to transform the abandoned swimming baths into a cinema and new homes after the developer failed to deliver, saying they can’t afford it.
Ladywell Playtower was built in Lewisham in 1884 and is one of the country’s earliest public swimming pools. It has been vacant since 2004 when it stopped being used as a community centre.
Potential development partners who are interested in working with the council and want to restore Ladywell Playtower can apply here and have until February 28 to do so.
