BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS: CENTRAL HILL AND CRESSINGHAM GARDENS – A TALE OF TWO ESTATES
£100,000 ALREADY SPENT ON OPTIONS APPRAISAL – TWICE WHAT LAMBETH ARE SPENDING ON UPPER NORWOOD LIBRARY
NEWS OF Lambeth’s proposals for Central Hill broke with a post on Virtual Norwood’s News and Local Issues on December 10th last year . Headed ‘Lambeth to redevelop Central Hill estate’, the post repeated an article from the BD (Building Design) website.
The article – PRP to redevelop low-rise 1970s estate by Elizabeth Hopkirk begins: “PRP has been appointed to work on the regeneration of the early 1970s Central Hill Estate in Gipsy Hill.”
The Central Hill situation appears to mirror similar plans by Lambeth in 2012 for the Cressingham Gardens estate at Tulse Hill close to Brockwell park – both estates were designed by Ted Hollamby, who also restored the Red House, the Arts and Crafts building in Bexleyheath designed by William Morris and Philip Webb
The Save Cressingham Gardens website (submitted Wed, 03/10/2012) states: “Lambeth council is considering the partial / full demolition and rebuild of Cressingham Gardens instead of simply repairing it.
“To fund the demolition and rebuild, they will be building extra new flats and homes on the estate that will be sold to raise cash for the council. “This will destroy the existing vibrant community and affect every user of the beautiful Brockwell Park.”
Google ‘Cressingham Gardens’ and there has been huge coverage of this issue. Now Central Hill finds itself in a similar position.
In their leaflet about the meeting the estate residents association add:
“What is it likely to mean for residents:
A community destroyed – families, elderly people, social tenants, essential workers moved out Residents will lose secure tenancies Leaseholder eviction under Compulsory Purchase Orders, with many being pushed off the property ladder
Long periods of uncertainty and temporary housing (similar projects have taken 4-10 years) Residents returning will not get a ‘like for like’ home.”
The leaflet demands a fair consultation that is transparent, allowing residents to understand the full impact of proposals.
“We are calling on all residents to act together to fight for our homes and the right to stay in our community. The only real security for residents is to call for REPAIR – NOT TOTAL DEMOLITION. FIND OUT MORE AND GET INVOLVED… Join the Facebook group – Save Central Hill Estate Community Follow the Twitter feed – @savecentralhill Email: [email protected]”
FOI REQUEST
A Freedom of Information Act request to Lambeth by an estate resident asked:
How much is budgeted to be spent on the proposed Central Hill estate regeneration? What is the breakdown of this expenditure?
How much has already been spent on the proposed regeneration of Central Hill estate?
What is the breakdown of this expenditure?
Lambeth’s response:
So far a budget of £100,000 has been allocated for the options appraisal stage of the Central Hill estate regeneration.
This is to support the project during the feasibility stage and covers the costs of consultants and support services (such as architects, social researchers and quantity surveyors) to undertake key pieces of research to ensure we understand the condition of the homes, the estate ground levels, and residents existing needs.
Only when a full options appraisal has been completed will we be able to work up the viable options for the estate, and the investment required to support the long term delivery.
FURTHER READING:
BRIXTON BUZZ: The fight for homes: Cressingham Gardens residents urge Lambeth Council to avoid ‘regeneration mess’ by Mike Urban March 10th 2015
THE GUARDIAN March 7th 2015 ‘A time for trust at Lambeth’s Cressingham Gardens estate.
Lambeth council’s approach to estate regeneration appears superior to many, but has run into formidable resistance from residents in one notable case.’
SAVE CRESSINGHAM GARDENS ESTATE website www.savecressinghamgardens.co.uk/
VIRTUAL NORWOOD: (News and Local Issues – ‘Lambeth to redevelop Central Hill estate’)
WIKIPEDIA: Ted Hollamby (fascinating item – Ed.)
