Despite its affluent image, Greenwich is the fifth most deprived borough in London and 11th in the country. St Mary's ward, close to the Dome, is London's most deprived. Unemployment and lone-parent households are above London averages, while educational attainment is below the English average.

Regeneration of the 300-acre Greenwich peninsula, where the Dome is being built, promises health benefits for local people. About 3,000 new homes are planned for completion by 2004. Half will be within the millennium village, which will also include a health centre and school.

The 'showcase' health centre will be staffed by up to seven GPs, or a mixture of doctors and nurse practitioners. It will have telemedicine links to specialist advice and may provide day-case surgery and on-site patient tests. The village aims to cut energy use by 80 per cent and link every home to the Internet. There will be a low-energy supermarket and cycle routes, and cars will be discouraged.

More than 600 local people have so far found jobs on the Dome site, and 5,000 more jobs are expected. Bexley and Greenwich HA aims to involve young people locally, nationally and internationally in producing a Millennium Declaration for Health, to be signed in November 2000.