THE decision not to build a Crossrail station at Woolwich will hinder the regeneration of the whole of the region, say borough leaders.

Greenwich council leader, Chris Roberts and Greenwich MP Nick Raynsford both slammed Cross London Rail Links' negative response to the Crossrail Select Committee's recommendation to build a station at Woolwich in a statement released on October 11. Mr Roberts said: "We are shocked and disappointed at this announcement which will come as a tremendous blow to the people of Woolwich and south east London.

Further evidence that the regeneration of Thames Gateway is not what it could be comes from a study by the University of East London. It reveals that 82 per cent of homes being built in the region to the east of London are one and two-bedroom flats, raising fears that families will fail to move into the area. The research blamed government targets for the high density of building and gave a warning that we could be repeating the design mistakes of the 1960s and 1970s.

BRITISH homeowners are facing a house-insurance crisis as global warming and a surge in house building and conversion raises the risk of flood damage.