“Hands off our estate” – photo courtesy Architects for Social Housing
LAMBETH HOUSING SCANDAL – TWO: UP TO 250 NEW HOMES AND NO DEMOLITION – ASH UNVEIL THEIR PLANS FOR CENTRAL HILL
Around 250 new homes could be built on Central Hill estate – without ANY of the existing homes being demolished.
Plans unveiled by Architects for Social Housing (ASH) on Saturday include:
new ‘fringe’ housing along the top of the estate where it fronts Central Hill
new roof extensions on top of 50 homes on the estate – but without affecting anyone’s light
new four to six storey block ‘potentially’ replacing the existing nurses hostel on the corner of Central Hill and Roman Rise
demolition of existing community hall and housing office
refurbishment of existing square and shops
introducing new commercial and work space
potential for the underground car park (near Pear Tree House on the corner of Hawke Road and Lunham Road) to be re-opened with community or commercial use including 24 hour gym / recording studios / youth facilities.
new tower block behind Gipsy Hill police station
“We’re thinking of ways in which you can keep your home” ASH’s Geraldine Dening told the audience. But she was honest enough to admit that some proposals – such as the tower block behind Gipsy Hill police station and proposed roof extensions – may be “a little bit controversial”.
The new homes would pay for the refurbishment of the estate, she added.
“It’s not a complicated mathematical exercise – it’s quite straightforward.
They had walked round the estate with residents last year and had identified certain sites where homes could be built.
“We want to say how much we love the existing estate – not just the people on the estate. “As an architect I love it.”
They had identified nine or ten issues that go along with the existing buildings but they could be dealt with simply and cheaply. None of their plans would affect anyone’s light. “You’d get the same light coming into your home.”
Other ideas they were considering were looking at ways of having allotments, bee keeping and extending some people’s gardens.
She invited people to talk with them about the issues they are concerned about.
“We really want to get your thoughts on these ideas” added Geraldine. “These are only ideas at the moment.”
Nicola Curtis, who chairs Central Hill residents association, said Lambeth were looking at putting 1,200 new homes on the estate by the time Lambeth’s own scheme went to planning committee.