Update on Filigree works and plans to reopen

This major housing and commercial development was delivered by Muse and Balfour Beatty in 2024, following a decade of construction in Lewisham town centre. Since the handover, the neighbourhood has been managed by Get Living. This left final works for the commercial units and public realm halted and hundreds of residents, with the remaining London Living Rent tenants still in interim housing. 

Despite our efforts, there has been minimal communication from the developers with the public and Council about the works and plans to reopen. To get things moving, councillors and council officers met on site with Get Living last week to get an update for the community. Here’s what we were told: 

Technical and insurance experts are in the final stages of agreeing what works will be required to fix the energy centre and associated issues. All works are expected to be done and the site reopened by October this year, but this is reliant on works starting as soon as possible. The public space may be opened before, possibly in summer 2026. 

Water has been reinstated to the site and the affected pipework has been replaced. Individual building water supply will be turned on shortly. 

Nearly 70% of the commercial floor space is under offer, with leases for the cinema, gym, and supermarket expected to be completed very soon. The commercial units depend on the infrastructure provided in the energy centre and will begin fitting out later this year. The Council will work with Get Living to keep residents informed as the commercial units are filled. 

Like residents, the Council is eager to see the promised shops, public spaces and vibrant neighbourhood delivered as soon as possible. The Council will continue to push all parties to agree to a clear remediation programme and clear timeline for opening the commercial space so the site can come back to life as soon as possible.

Councillor James-J Walsh, Lewisham Council’s Cabinet Member for Inclusive Regeneration and Planning said:

“Lewisham Council granted planning permission on the clear understanding that this development would be completed and functioning as a neighbourhood by now, but that has not happened. We will continue to press the responsible parties. 

“I would like to recognise that Get Living’s support of their residents in the immediate aftermath was handled with care and urgency, with many rehomed in alternate Get Living neighbourhoods at matched rent levels. However nearly a year on, progress has been too fragmented and too slow and we need the issues resolved and the site brought back to life as soon as possible” 

Ward councillors of Lewisham Central, Edison Huynh and Aliya Sheikh said:

“After flooding at the Gateway energy centre, we pushed for residents to be rehoused quickly and were pleased to see that happen. Since then, however, communication has been lacking, and we made clear during our recent site visit that this has been deeply frustrating for the community.

"We will continue pressing those responsible to keep Lewisham residents front of mind as reopening plans progress. We are excited for the shops, services, cinema and public space to reopen, and look forward to seeing this part of our neighbourhood come back to life.”