After 28 years, a site of this size ought to be housing people rather than standing behind fences.
The Huntsman Sports Club site off Manor Way, Blackheath, has been empty since 1998, and South London News reports that four schemes since 2008 have failed to change that. A fifth, for 258 homes, has now reached Royal Greenwich. Comments close on 19 November.
It is not yet a planning application. On 23 October the council registered a request asking whether the scheme needs a full Environmental Impact Assessment, the formal study of a project's effects on its surroundings. The council has made no decision on the request.
What is proposed
The filing describes 258 homes in 11 buildings of three to six storeys, with a row of detached houses along each of the northern and western boundaries. It lists 94 residential car parking spaces and 302 cycle spaces.
South London News names the developer as Derreb Limited, which is running a public consultation under the name Moorehead Way. It reports a mix of 238 apartments and 20 houses on a site of 5.4 acres, with 33 homes wheelchair accessible. The consultation material cites 490 cycle spaces and 95 car spaces. The council papers say 302 and 94, so the two sets of figures do not match.
Why affordable housing matters here
An earlier scheme of 130 homes was dismissed on appeal in November 2016 over insufficient affordable housing, according to South London News. This proposal is roughly twice that size.
South London News reports that a viability assessment will be submitted to show what level of affordable housing the development can feasibly provide.
After 28 years, a site of this size ought to be housing people rather than standing behind fences, and 258 homes is a serious offer. But the last scheme failed on one point, and the answer to it is the number that will decide this one. What share will be affordable, and will the viability assessment persuade anyone that it is the most the site can bear?
- Royal Greenwich registered an EIA screening request on 23 October 2026 for 258 homes at the Huntsman Sports Club site, Manor Way
- The scheme is 11 buildings of 3 to 6 storeys plus detached houses along the northern and western boundaries
- The register lists 94 car parking spaces and 302 cycle spaces, a community hub and children's playspace
- Consultation expiry is 19 November 2026; no decision has been made
- Derreb Limited is reported as developer under the name Moorehead Way
- South London News reports the site has been empty since 1998 and a 130-home scheme was dismissed on appeal in November 2016 over affordable housing
- Consultation material cited 490 cycle and 95 car spaces, differing from the register
Every factual claim in this story is linked to the evidence behind it. Where the newsroom has added judgement or framing, it is listed separately. Sources accessed 2 November 2026.
- Royal Greenwich planning register, screening request summary (council)
- Royal Greenwich planning register, important dates (council)
- South London News: Derreb's 258 homes plan (media)
- Moorehead Way consultation site (business)
- Greenwich Planning Board report, 5 April 2016 (council)
Claim by claim (7 facts, 5 editorial judgements)
- Royal Greenwich registered an EIA screening opinion request on 23 October 2026 covering 258 homes in 11 buildings of 3 to 6 storeys and a row of detached houses along the northern and western boundaries. — council, 2026-10-23“erection of 258 new homes within 11 new buildings ranging in height from 3 to 6 storeys and a row of detached houses along each of the northern and western boundaries”
- The proposal includes 94 residential car parking spaces and 302 cycle spaces. — council, 2026-10-23“provision of 94 residential car parking spaces and 302 cycle spaces”
- The filing is a screening request under the EIA Regulations 2017, not a planning application. — council, 2026-10-23“Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Opinion under Regulation 6 of The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017”
- Consultation expires on 19 November 2026; no decision has been made and no EIA received. — council, 2026-11-02“Standard Consultation Expiry: Thursday, 19 November 2026”
- Derreb Limited is the developer, running a consultation as Moorehead Way; the mix is 238 apartments and 20 houses on a 5.4-acre site with 33 wheelchair-accessible units. — media, 2026-10-29“a viability assessment will be submitted which will assess what levels of affordable housing the development can feasibly provide”
- The consultation material cited 490 cycle spaces and 95 car spaces, differing from the register. — media, 2026-10-29“490 cycle spaces and 95 car spaces”
- The site has been empty since 1998; four earlier schemes since 2008 failed; a 130-home scheme was dismissed on appeal in November 2016 over insufficient affordable housing. — media, 2026-10-29“dismissed on appeal in November 2016 over insufficient affordable housing”
- Judgement: A viability assessment will be submitted to assess feasible affordable housing; the proposal is roughly double the 2016 scheme.
- Judgement: After 28 years, a site of this size ought to be housing people rather than standing behind fences, and 258 homes is a serious offer.
- Judgement: The last scheme failed on one point, and the answer to it is the number that will decide this one.
- Judgement: The two sets of car and cycle figures do not match (editorial observation on a comparison of the consultation and the council papers).
- Judgement: This proposal is roughly twice the size of the 2016 scheme (258 against 130).