Healthy Neighbourhoods

The Healthy Neighbourhoods programme is a key part of Lewisham's ambition to create streets where it is easier and more attractive to walk, wheel, cycle and use public transport for everyday journeys. The programme supports the Council's wider goals to improve our air quality and environment, take meaningful climate action and create cleaner, safer, greener neighbourhoods. With recent extreme temperatures and heatwaves, and a drought declared across the UK and London it has never been more important to future-proof both our environment and the health and wellbeing of our communities. 

St Johns and Tanner’s Hill is the first area of the Healthy Neighbourhoods programme where we are formally consulting and seeking feedback from local residents on the proposed designs, following engagement in early 2025. 

Today, around 68% of journeys in Lewisham are already made by walking, cycling or public transport. The Council’s ambition is to increase that to 81% by 2041 by making it safer and easier for people to choose active and sustainable travel, especially for shorter everyday trips. 

The programme will be delivered in phases, starting with evidence gathering and community engagement before any proposals are developed. Schemes brought forward and prioritise areas with the greatest need and opportunity. These have been identified as:  

• HN0002 in St Johns, bordered by New Cross Road, Lewisham Way, Loampit Hill and Loampit Vale – in final stages of consultation, following extensive engagement in 2025 
• HN0005 in New Cross, bordered by Lewisham Road and Brookmill Road – early feasibility and stakeholder engagement 
• HN0006 in Telegraph Hill, bordered by Drakefell Road, Gellatley Road and Malpas Road – early feasibility and stakeholder engagement 
• HN0004 in Creekside, running alongside Creekside through to the Borough Boundary with Deptford Church Street – early feasibility and stakeholder engagement
• HN0003 on Kender street and side streets – early feasibility and stakeholder engagement 

Potential improvements could include safer crossings, better accessibility for disabled people and those with mobility needs, reduced pavement parking, traffic calming, new planting and rain gardens, cycle parking, School Streets and measures to discourage vehicles from using residential streets as shortcuts. Any proposals would be developed with local communities and tailored to the needs of individual neighbourhoods, based on feedback gathered through engagement.  

Once draft proposals have been prepared, residents would have another opportunity to comment through a formal consultation process. 

Many residents rely on cars for essential journeys, including people with disabilities, carers, tradespeople and local businesses, so by helping more people make short journeys by walking, cycling or public transport, congestion will be reduced and it will be easier for those who need to drive to get around. The strategy also highlights the importance of maintaining accessibility and considering the needs of Blue Badge holders.  

Cllr Corin Ashwell, Cabinet Member for Environment, Nature, Transport and Climate Action said “Healthy Neighbourhoods are about creating safer, healthier and greener streets for everyone in Lewisham. Too many short journeys are still made by car, adding to congestion, worsening air pollution and increasing the carbon emissions that drive climate change.  

We're already seeing the effects of climate change in London through hotter summers, extreme heat and pressure on our local environment. We have a responsibility to prepare our neighbourhoods for those challenges. Greener streets, more trees and better-designed public spaces can help keep communities cooler, improve people's health and wellbeing, and create a borough that is more resilient for future generations. 

We need to make it easier, safer and more attractive for people to walk, wheel, cycle and use public transport wherever possible, while ensuring those who genuinely need to drive can do so on less congested roads. We also know that speeding and excessive traffic make our streets more dangerous, particularly for children, older people and anyone trying to walk or cycle around their neighbourhood. Reducing road danger and creating streets where people feel safe is a key part of our vision for Lewisham.  

But we are clear that these plans must be shaped by local people. We want to hear from residents, businesses, community groups and everyone who travels through these neighbourhoods, including those who depend on a car because of disability, caring responsibilities or work. Their experiences will help shape any future proposals before decisions are made." 

There will be several ways to take part, including: 

• completing online surveys 
• attending local drop-in sessions and community events 
• joining workshops and neighbourhood discussions 
• taking part in site walks to highlight local issues and opportunities 
• speaking to Council officers at pop-up engagement events 
• sharing feedback through local community groups and resident associations