Issues and SWOT

strength

Put the Old Town Hall back to productive use

The council has agreed a route to reuse the building for teaching.

Proposed response: Make the building fit for students while coordinating shared uses.

Evidence

strength

Bring support closer to people in poor health

4.3% of people reported bad or very bad health in Lewisham council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 3.1% in Lewisham Central to 6% in Bellingham — a gap of 2.9 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

49.8% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Lewisham council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 10.2% in Lewisham Central to 22.3% in Downham — a gap of 12.1 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

Make the links between stations easy to use

A dedicated Station Links project forms part of the town-centre plan.

Proposed response: Test routes with pedestrians and people who face mobility barriers.

Evidence

weakness

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £1,829 a month (August 2026) in Lewisham council area. This is £370 higher than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 18% in Downham to 48.1% in Lewisham Central — a gap of 30.1 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

Connect road changes to a better town centre

The A205/A21 scheme sits alongside station and building projects.

Proposed response: Plan how people move between transport, shops and public facilities.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

9.5% of people in Lewisham council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 4.5% in Lewisham Central to 13.3% in Catford South — a gap of 8.8 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 Lewisham 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 15.3% in Lewisham Central to 28.6% in Bellingham — a gap of 13.3 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

Keep the town-centre commitments within funded phases

The business plan combines several workstreams and future budget decisions.

Proposed response: Show which commitments are funded and what depends on later decisions.

Evidence 1 · Evidence 2