Lewisham locals have joint forces to challenge proposed changes to their local area. The group Lewisham Peoples’ Assembly organised a lively fundraiser on Sunday, raising funds to support their cause.
The group has been outspoken in challenging proposed changes to the local landmark, Lewisham Shopping Centre, claiming that the owner of the shopping centre, Landsec, will build a new development which will result in increased rent prices – with a shockingly low 6% allocated for social housing – as well as a process of ‘social cleansing’ alongside negative environmental impacts.
The group’s primary concern is the lack of affordable housing in the proposed changes. Locals complained that the new development will consist of mainly one-bedroom flats that could cost £2,050 before bills, meaning that a nurse at the local Lewisham Hospital would typically not afford to live there. Christine, a local resident, said: ‘Lewisham’s problem is a lack of housing for families. We need two bedroom and three bedroom houses, not one bedroom luxury apartments.’ Christine also brought up issues of disruption, noise and air pollution as a consequence of the proposed redevelopment.
The group stated on Instagram that ‘recent data reveals there are over 105,000 vacant homes in London. Councils should utilise existing housing stock first to alleviate the housing crisis.’
The group came together on Sunday in a lively fundraiser with music and dancing. John, co-founder of Lewisham Peoples’ Assembly, has resided in Lewisham for over ten years. ‘We began the campaign last September, right before the Labour Party gave the okay to Landsec’s plans to redevelop the shopping centre. At first, we had around eighteen people at our meetings. Now we regularly get eighty people attending.’
John explained that the group collected 4,000 signatures for their petition against the redevelopment, in the hope that it would be debated in a council meeting, but were disappointed upon learning that the debate would not go ahead.
‘We’re protesting in July because we want this to be on the agenda of the new Green Party administration,’
John continued.
‘The Green Party supported our campaign before the election. They haven’t gone against it, but they’re not exactly returning our phone calls either.’
For John and the other locals here, it is not progress that they are protesting against, but they are calling for a better offer that ensures affordable housing for Lewisham. John pointed out that only 16% of the new homes will be ‘affordable’, and only 6% will be designated as social housing. Another impact mentioned was the short-term effects of the redevelopment; locals will not be able to access central Lewisham for ten years. The long-term effect, according to John, will be gentrification. For the locals here, the worse-case scenario would be ‘what happened to Elephant and Castle’. This includes, in John’s words, a ‘loss of character’ for the area.
In terms of demands, the group call on the Green Party, who came into power after the last local election, to not go ahead with the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO), a legal power that could allow Lewisham Council to force the sale of properties needed for the redevelopment. John poses the following question to the new Green Party administration: ‘does it make sense for the council to use state funds to benefit a private real estate development?’
‘don’t wants’ – such as high rises, AI and gentrification – for their local area. Credit: Nadia Zouaoui
Another Lewisham resident of over twenty years, Farah, expressed her fear for the future of her community. ‘If the development of the shopping centre means that ethnic minorities and families that are on lower incomes will be kicked out, Lewisham will lose its charm.’ Farah plans to live in Lewisham for the rest of her life, so ‘it’s very disheartening’ that the ‘authenticity’ of the borough is at stake. She also expressed concern over rising emissions and lack of sunlight as a result of high-rise buildings. ‘There’s a lot of empty promises being made,’ Farah explains. ‘So how can we believe that this is going to be good for the people of Lewisham? Lots of families are suffering every day.’
Indeed, a common anxiety amongst locals is whether the redevelopment will truly benefit the locals. The group Lewisham Peoples’ Assembly stated that only £1.69 million will be returned to Lewisham per year. For them, this does not justify the redevelopment’s promises.
As the group awaits a response from the Green Party administration, their next protest is planned to go ahead in mid-July.
