Goldsmiths, University of London has cancelled plans to establish a new campus for 600 students at Lewisham Council’s Old Town Hall in Catford. The Fine Art and Design department was scheduled to relocate from the former Lewisham College site in Deptford Bridge to the town hall next summer, under a partnership announced with great fanfare in January.
Lewisham Council said it was “shocked and surprised” by the university’s decision, which came after a change in leadership at Goldsmiths last month. The council had made significant investment into the building to facilitate the move and was progressing with an Agreement for Lease, though the lease itself had not yet been signed.
A Goldsmiths spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Following a review of our academic, estate and investment priorities, we concluded that bringing all of our provision together at New Cross will deliver the greatest long-term benefit for students, staff, and the wider University community.” The university said consolidating on a single campus at New Cross would create better opportunities for collaboration and student experience.
Council left scrambling to use the building
The council now faces the task of finding alternative uses for the Old Town Hall, which is central to its masterplan for regenerating Catford. A Lewisham Council spokesperson said: “We made significant investment into the building to facilitate the move and officers were working on plans for the move right up until we received the communication from Goldsmiths that they would not be proceeding.” The authority said it remains committed to revitalising the area and is considering how to move forward with the site’s long-term use.
However, the pullout has triggered sharp political disagreement. Cllr Ese Erheriene, Leader of the Opposition Lewisham Labour Group, called it “the second major blow to our borough in a week,” following Landsec’s decision to de-prioritise the Lewisham Shopping Centre redevelopment. The partnership, announced under Labour, would have brought more than 600 students into Catford.
“This partnership, announced under Labour, would have brought more than 600 students into Catford, breathing new life into our high street. This summer, the Mayor publicly set out his terms. Now the move is off. He must explain when he knew the campus was at risk, what he did to keep Goldsmiths in Catford and why those efforts failed.
Questions over due diligence and timing
Green Mayor Liam Shrivastava said Labour had announced the partnership “despite not having any formal agreement in place” when Goldsmiths was under interim leadership and facing documented financial difficulties. He noted that throughout the process with Goldsmiths, he sought assurances from the institution on its financial situation. Despite Labour approving the deal, it appears no due diligence was carried out. Goldsmiths’ decision to pull out of Catford came after the appointment of a permanent Vice-Chancellor last month followed by a re-evaluation of the College’s strategic and financial priorities.
The decision has also raised concerns among staff. Joe Newman, University and College Union (UCU) co-president at Goldsmiths, told the reporting service: “This doesn’t seem to be something that’s ultimately in the students’ best interest. It may be a cost-saving measure, but it could well have a detrimental impact on students because the timeframe seems to be very tight.” He noted that staff and students had received no formal notification of the U-turn.
Newman added: “This is quite significant as a move from an employer that has such an impact on the local community and the local economy and to suddenly turn around in such a seemingly flippant way. A lot of work had gone into this and the council would have taken measures to prepare the building, which involved not renewing the tenancies or leases of artists working in those studios.”
Mayor Shrivastava claimed artists working in the Old Town Hall were handed eviction notices before a formal agreement had been signed. He said his council has already begun looking into alternative tenants for the building, taking “a more sensible and pragmatic approach” and has begun exploring alternative tenants for the building.
