This year promises to be an interesting period in terms of national democracy with Brexit fast approaching, but there are many key decisions to be made locally as well.

Budgets for councils continue to be tight, and there is an unprecedented want for housing in the capital which has resulted in huge developments being put forward across London.

In Greenwich, there are some big issues which residents can expect to be finalised in the coming year:

Spray Street Quarter

A decision on the future of Spray Street Quarter in Woolwich is expected this year.

An application for 740 homes, a cinema, shops and a nursery was submitted in January 2018 by Spray Street Quarter LLP, a joint venture between developer St Modwen and Notting Hill Housing Trust.

If the application gets the green light, existing buildings, including the historic 1936 covered market, would be knocked down in place of a new town square, several new buildings – the tallest of which would be 21 storeys.

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More than 300 people have backed Speak Out’s petition against the development, fearing the worst for the BME businesses’ occupying shops at present.

The council could use compulsory purchase powers to facilitate the development, should it move forward.

Rockwell’s Charlton Riverside 

Rockwell’s huge development proposals for Hope and Anchor Lane at Charlton Riverside were rejected last year by Greenwich Council.

The 770-home scheme, which was likened to Stalingrad by planning chairwoman Sarah Merrill, was thrown out unanimously over fears it was too big and dense, and would alienate existing communities.

However, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has since stepped in on the matter – taking planning control away from the council to decide himself.

City Hall called in the rejection, saying the affordable housing included would be good for the capital and the borough.

Rockwell – which was left frustrated at being rejected initially – is now working to find a way to make the scheme ready for approval. Expect this to come to fruition in the next few months.

The John Roan School

The controversial decision to turn the John Roan in Blackehath into an academy is expected to be taken early this year.

The rubber-stamping to sign the school over to University Schools Trust (UST), the body that was nominated to take it over, was pushed back for “further due diligence” in November.

The UST has since pulled out of the deal, leaving the school looking for a new sponsor by February.

A number of parents, staff members and some councillors have been campaigning for months for the decision to be reversed, with a crowdfunder being launched to take Ofsted to court over the ruling.

The school was given an academy order following an “inadequate” Ofsted rating, and since the order was granted teachers have been taking strike action.

Despite the  council disagreeing with academisation, it is legally obliged to facilitate the transition when the time comes.

Silvertown Tunnel 

Construction on the controversial Silvertown Tunnel is set to begin in late 2019, according to TfL, but Greenwich Council is still working on what mitigation it gets for hosting the project.

The earliest the Silvertown Tunnel, linking Silvertown Way and the Blackwall Tunnel approach, could become operational is 2024.

The tunnel has sparked opposition for fears it would further gridlock the area, which is close to the new Ikea, as well as increase pollution fears.

A group of “at least 12” councillors supported a call-in measure last year to pressure TfL for extra cash because of the potential damage of the £1b tunnel.

Councillors called for a review into what more the council could get from TfL, and details on that are expected this year too.

According to previous reports, £933,000 would be given to the council for a noise barrier, £41,000 for a bio-diversity plan and £136,000 for school’s road safety.

A further £349,500 would be available for neighbourhood enhancements.