Woolwich, the former home of the Gunners, is being transformed in to thousands of new houses and a stop on the new ‘Elizabeth’ train line.

Many new homes have already been built, with regeneration starting in 2003, but the Royal Arsenal Riverside is the biggest new development, and will bring 5,000 new houses to the area.

The Berkeley Homes development involves converting and building houses on the former Woolwich Arsenal riverside site.

entrance Woolwich Arsenal c.1960
Woolwich Arsenal Entrance c.1960 – Plumstead-Stories.com
Screen Shot 2017 10 15 at 12.36.03
Photo courtesy of David Lynch – Independent

For those of you who aren’t aware of the history, Arsenal Football Club initially started as Woolwich Arsenal, when a group of workers at the Royal Arsenal started up a football team in 1886. The Gunners moved to Highbury in 1913, and changed their name, but Woolwich Arsenal is still part of the history of the club.

Hopefully, that history isn’t lost with the new development, although it does seem that the surrounding area is set for major changes, including the closure of the Royal Artillery Museum which shut its doors last year.

One way that history will hopefully live on is through the football club, and the nickname “the Gunners”.

As well as the cannon on the club badge, of course.