Surrey Canal: the new neighbourhood forming in north Deptford - part 1
Although work hasn't yet started on Surrey Canal station, development in the area is underway. The new station is considered a "critical enabler for 8,400 new homes" including Renewal's Group's vast "New Bermondsey" project.
It’s a saga that goes back to the days when Boris Johnson was Mayor of London, but funding of Surrey Canal station on the Windrush line came up for discussion again in September.
Regardless of work commencing, a cluster of developments in the area has already begun.
Lewisham council officers' submission to the meeting on 10 September said: “The station is a critical enabler for the delivery of up to 8,400 new homes, including over 4,000 within Lewisham and 1,000 affordable units ..
"Subject to receiving the full package of funding for the design works, this would commence in early 2026 and complete in early 2028. The main works would commence following this and last for approximately two years.”
North of New Cross, south of Surrey Quays, west of Deptford, and east of South Bermondsey, many neighbourhoods could claim the nexus around the planned Surrey Canal station as their own, but with the potential size, it may very well come into its own as a standalone new neighbourhood.
Lewisham council's 2020 Supplementary Planning Document for Surrey Canal Triangle stated that this area was allocated for redevelopment in 2011 and it is now incorporated in the Local Plan.
It says: “The Regeneration of the Surrey Canal Triangle Development Area can bring transformative change to a forgotten area of Lewisham.
"Through high-quality mixed-use architecture and landscapes, it can become a healthy, liveable and sustainable place where high-density living can be associated with high standards of wellbeing.
"Crucially, the Surrey Canal Triangle Development Area can be opened up and stitched back into the urban grain of the neighbourhoods, enabling Surrey Canal Triangle to connect the wider network of open spaces and unlocking a much-needed link between east and west.”
The proposed station would be an ‘infill’ development, meaning no new track would need to be laid. It would be located between the existing Surrey Quays and Queens Road Peckham stations, both in Southwark, and would become the only Lewisham station on the Clapham Junction branch of the Windrush line.
The typical off-peak hours service for this branch is four trains an hour, though signalling updates at Surrey Quays station could increase this.
Planned improvements for Windrush Line
David Thomas, Transport for London (Tfl) Head of Concession for London Overground, said: “We have a number of customer improvements planned for the Windrush line to boost capacity and meet growing demand.
"This includes adding two additional peak-time services per hour between Crystal Palace and Highbury & Islington from December 2026, subject to timetable feasibility. These changes will help increase frequency to 18 trains per hour between Dalston Junction and Surrey Quays, which is the busiest section of the line.
“We’re also continuing to assess the feasibility of increasing services by an additional two trains per hour at peak-times between Clapham Junction and Dalston Junction.
“This work includes a potential new station at Surrey Canal Road and whether any additional services can be accommodated in a future timetable. Significant work is still needed, including determining how this would be funded, so the earliest possible introduction date is currently May 2029.”
The history of the proposed station is long and convoluted, and has been covered by London Reconnections.
Lewisham council approved the use of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) funds to support the delivery of the design stage for the station, on 10 September. This will be added to the contributions from the New Bermondsey and Apollo Business Centre developments to enable Tfl to start the design work in 2026.
Tfl will then seek government funding for the construction work.
A "Grampian clause" in developers' contracts means that they won’t be able to build more than 600 homes until construction has started on the new Overground station.
Directly in front of the proposed Surrey Canal station is a major cycleway, the C10, which follows Surrey Canal Road from Folkestone Gardens until a turn onto Senegal Road.
Cycle and pedestrian improvements are promised as part of new development.
Renewal Group's "New Bermondsey" development
Next to the proposed station, Renewal's planning application for the area around Millwall stadium (and excluding the stadium itself) anticipates the construction of 3,500 new homes, as well as auditorium, commercial, learning and food and or drink establishment spaces.
Planning statements state that 35% of the homes will be affordable.
The financial viability statement included with the planning application states: “We have assumed that the affordable housing is to form 60% Social Rent, 20% Discounted Market Rent and 20% London Shared Ownership.”
Dorothy Stein
The area has been under review for some time. A earlier scheme from 2017 would have evicted Millwall from its land around the Den, using a Compulsory Purchase Order. It was abandoned after widespread objections, including from the council's scrutiny committee.
The Guardian reported concerns regarding Renewal's offshore administration, the charity at the heart of the scheme and links with former Lewisham council officers.
Section 106 Agreement
Lewisham council and Renewal Group negotiated the terms of Section 106 for Renewal’s development around Millwall stadium, in January 2025.
The S106 defines the developer’s financial obligations to the local community, to compensate them for the impact of new housing and help build infrastructure to accommodate a growing population.
£17,170,000 is allocated to Transport for London (Tfl) for the construction of the Surrey Canal Overground station.
Other payments include:
● £1,465,800 to improve Bridgehouse Meadows, to include playspace for children over 11 years old, as well as improved pedestrian and cycle routes
● A space for a creche
● 2000 sqm gross internal floorspace for creative industries or business centre use
● £440,000 towards installation of cycle hire docking stations (these could be the first cycle hire docking stations in Lewisham borough)
● Health facility provision
● Multi-sports facility including basketball courts, indoor five-a-side pitches, leisure centre with swimming pool and spa, facilities for table tennis, and more.
Part 2 will complete the review of the emerging new neighbourhood at Surrey Canal.
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