Issues and SWOT

strength

Make the most of Plumstead’s shared centre

The open centre combines a library, leisure and community rooms.

Proposed response: Coordinate activities and accessible information across those services.

Evidence

strength

Bring support closer to people in poor health

4.6% of people reported bad or very bad health in Greenwich council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 2.7% in Greenwich Peninsula to 6.4% in Middle Park & Horn Park — a gap of 3.7 percentage points.

This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.

strength

Connect local skills to local opportunities

45.7% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Greenwich council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 7% in Greenwich Peninsula to 24.8% in Eltham Page — a gap of 17.8 percentage points.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

weakness

Keep affected Woolwich traders supported

Delivering Woolwich Exchange requires land assembly and relocation.

Proposed response: Make relocation support practical for each affected business.

Evidence

weakness

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £1,995 a month (August 2026) in Greenwich council area. This is £536 higher than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 11.5% in Eltham Park & Progress to 45.5% in Woolwich Arsenal — a gap of 34 percentage points.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

opportunity

Use existing business space to support local work

Nathan Way has 22 units completed in 2020.

Proposed response: Assess take-up and link suitable vacancies to local enterprise support.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

10.5% of people in Greenwich council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 2.9% in Greenwich Peninsula to 17.3% in Eltham Town & Avery Hill — a gap of 14.4 percentage points.

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Greenwich council area.

Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.

opportunity

Turn published plans into visible progress

3 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.

A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.

opportunity

Target support where disadvantages overlap

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 9.7% in Greenwich Peninsula to 28% in Middle Park & Horn Park — a gap of 18.2 percentage points.

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

threat

Protect the market’s heritage and public routes during change

The consented Woolwich scheme repurposes the listed covered market.

Proposed response: Check heritage, public access and community uses through each phase.

Evidence