Merton Abbey Mills Update August 2004

The misnamed Bennet's Court [Full image 39.6kb]

The plan view of the completed residential section [Full image 74.3kb]

The development of the first residential phase, on the old William Morris pub car park, is now substantially complete.

The development of the first residential phase, on the old William Morris pub car park, is now substantially complete.

The bridge was opened by the mayors of Merton and Sutton on the Sunday of the Wandle Valley Festival weekend. The adjoining building has been rather unfortunately named Bennet's [sic] Court, in an attempt to commemorate the site of the famous Bennett's mill which it now occupies. Hopefully this spelling will be corrected sooner rather than later.

The views here show the improvements to the new walk way along Bennetts ditch and it can be seen that the building at the Tandem roundabout end of the development are also now substantially complete.

The development of the first residential phase, on the old William Morris pub car park, is now substantially complete.

The view along Bennett's Ditch, looking East [Full image 37.7kb]

The flint panel [full image 80.4kb]

On the Savacentre roundabout side, the Burger King restaurant building is substantially complete, and work has started on the adjoining fast food site. In another gesture toward the history of the site, the Burger king building has an inset panel of flint, seen here, to reflect the flint walls of the old Merton Priory.

The bare area under the electricity pylon, originally reserved for a pavilion style heritage centre, has now been adopted as an overflow car park - at least this is a real use!

When the Savacentre first received planning permission, consent was given on the basis that only a temporary (30 year life) building could be erected, so giving the community a second chance to review the use of the site, and the architecture on it, during our lifetimes. That use is coming to an end in the next 10 years or so.

The Eastern end of Bennett's Ditch, alongside the almost complete commercial section [Full image 36.9kb]

The Millstone [Full image 50.9kb]

The fear has been that permission to build the new development across Merantun Way as permanent buildings of an architecturally brutal nature (itself only granted because of Savacentre's own industrial appearance) would then enable a leapfrogging of permissions back to the Savacentre site. That fear has been allayed, to some extent. Savacentre is to be remodelled over this winter, but not dramatically.

On a more historical note, the large millstone rescued from the Bennetts Mill dig has now been properly mounted, and can be seen facing the Wheelhouse.

Ed. Aug 2004