Save Cressingham

Save the beautiful leafy Cressingham Gardens community estate. Politicians and Lambeth Council to demolish estate as part of regeneration

[SAVE Britain's Heritage @SAVEtoReuse]

🏡 More good news! After a decade of uncertainty and local campaigning, Lambeth Council is set to scrap demolition plans for Cressingham Gardens.

SAVE + @C20Society have long called for the protection of this distinctive 1960s low-rise estate https://t.co/xYGeaxsvNE

[Lambeth Council @lambeth_council]

Cressingham Gardens and Central Hill Estates will be refurbished, not demolished 🏗️

Lambeth’s Cabinet has approved plans to protect the estates from demolition, with a new approach to building the council homes the borough needs.

[C20 Society @C20Society]

🚨BREAKING NEWS: We're absolutely delighted that Lambeth Council Cabinet members have just voted to save Central Hill Estate and Cressingham Gardens from a planned demolition. This follows a near 15 year-long battle led by residents and the @SaveCressingham and @savecentralhill campaigns, with four separate judicial reviews and an independent inquiry.

The Council found a comprehensive redevelopment of the two 1960s estates to no longer be financially viable and have instead promised an approach that will 'maintain existing homes, return empty properties to use and deliver genuinely affordable homes while respecting the borough’s architectural heritage.' The surprising development follows a change in control at the Council after the May local elections, with the Green Party winning the most seats.

The council was previously taking forward their Estate Renewal Programme through the development company Homes for Lambeth. The 2022 Kerslake Review recommended closing down the company and the programme was brought back in-house under direct council control.

The pair of post-war social housing schemes have been C20's Risk List since 2017 and 2021 respectively, and were the subject of several unsuccessful listing applications by the Society as far back as 2016.

The Society's Director, Catherine Croft, commented:

"We are overjoyed that good sense has finally prevailed. Both estates show post-war social housing at its most humane and sensitive; understated yet intelligently detailed and making the most of beautiful, verdant sites.

While the work of Camden architect Neave Brown has long been celebrated and recognised with numerous listing designations and conservation areas, the work of Ted Hollamby and his team at Lambeth (including Rosemary Stjernstedt, Roger Westman, and Charles Attwood) has been bafflingly overlooked.

Not only are these buildings of great historic interest, but they are much loved, practical homes which could serve as exemplar for today’s housing crisis. They now need to be appropriately upgraded and cared for, so they can continue to can continue to serve and bring pleasure to future generations."

[Jane Whild @janewhild]

I leafletted in Cressingham Gardens 8 years ago and went to a hustings where the community were clearly against demolishing the estate. I'm glad residents' voices have prevailed.

https://t.co/66cTmOm1dZ

[Lambeth Green Party @Lambethgp]

For 12 years, Lambeth tried to demolish Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens and left homes empty. Not anymore!
Cllr Pete Elliott said this will end "years of uncertainty and put the focus where it belongs: repairing homes, supporting communities and filling empty properties.”

[Laura Swaffield @lswaffield1]

Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens estates set to be saved from demolition - as Trinity Rise and phase two of Knights Walk redevelopment plans are also branded "unviable" https://t.co/456aBmSRMY

[Lambeth Green Party @Lambethgp]

Residents fought for years to save the Cressingham Gardens and Central Hill estates, and now, thanks to them, they're saved from demolition. Now, Lambeth Council can focus on bringing those homes back into use.

[Save Central Hill @savecentralhill]

In photos: the long fight to save Cressingham Gardens and Central Hill, as demolition plans set to end https://t.co/ePRgZzVhbK

[The Log Lady @gamecounsel]

Thank you to everyone who supported us.
The ink isn't dry so not celebrating yet.

I was just reminded by Paul Sng that 'Dispossession: The Great Social Housing Swindle' is 10 years old. It's been a very long journey. @Adjournist @anthillsocial @SaveCressingham @savecentralhill

[Save Cressingham @SaveCressingham]

@pete556 @gamecounsel

[Laura Swaffield @lswaffield1]

Demolition plans for Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens estates "currently unviable " says Lambeth Green planning chief. Is the nightmare finally over for the residents who have fought these insane Labour plans for years? https://t.co/UMhkjv0TyB

[Pete Elliott @pete556]

Finally after 12 years of struggle and suffering, the recommendation from Lambeth council is to not proceed with demolition of Cressingham or Central Hill. We could have told them that 12 years ago....and we did! ✊🎉

https://t.co/mw3axGzite

[Municipal Dreams @MunicipalDreams]

2/ I wrote in defence of Cressingham Gardens - ‘warm and informal … one of the nicest small schemes in England’, according to Lord Esher - back in 2014. I'm glad it's survived:
https://t.co/I5B2R8d9vH

[Municipal Dreams @MunicipalDreams]

1/ 🚨 Breaking News: the Cressingham Gardens and Central Hill Estates - two high-quality and much-loved schemes built by Lambeth Council in the late 60s and early 70s have - after sustained campaigning by residents - been saved from demolition:
https://t.co/GEMWbmlQOE

[Peoples Audit @PeoplesAudit]

The cost of #Lambeth's housing mismanagement laid bare. £15.4M in a year.
We first highlighted the cost of disrepair back in 2017: https://t.co/ALIjlCkkPD
If only they had listened.

[Peoples Audit @PeoplesAudit]

No surprises that #Lambeth has a 168% increase in empty homes
@DemolitionsLdn @pete556 @savecentralhill @SaveCressingham @hfltenants

[Homes for Lambeth Tenants @hfltenants]

Watch Manuel speak truth to power in his incisive deputation ✊ He delivered it on behalf of @hfltenants at the latest full @lambeth_council meeting.

As evident by Manuel’s speech, the council’s argument collapses under scrutiny.

The line? Labour-led Lambeth Council must evict dozens of families and vulnerable tenants.

How? Through Section 21 evictions, otherwise known as ‘no fault evictions’, that are soon-to-be banned by current Labour government.

Why? To turn our homes into temporary accommodation for those ‘in most urgent need.’

The issue? That’s exactly who WE will become IF evicted.

The outcome? Dozens of families and vulnerable tenants end up homeless.

So what do you think? Sounds like a sound plan, right? Definitely not immoral, harmful, or anything. Perfectly reasonable to make one group homeless to (temporarily) house another, and then self-congratulate yourself through blatant virtue signalling 👀

Stay tuned for Councillor Adilypour’s response. Spoiler: He did exactly what Manuel predicted he would!

[Herne Hill Festival @HerneHillFest]

@SaveCressingham @PeoplesAudit We're planning an Oct. Fest event called MUSIC FOR HOUSING awareness-raiser re housing issues in Herne Hill, to include Save Dorchester Court who like u have a gofundme. How do we get in touch? You link to a FB that links to a website with no contact info. Follow us so we can DM?

[Save Cressingham @SaveCressingham]

@gamecounsel Very interesting - 24 days request because 4 days already used by Pines & Needles … does this mean that Xmas trees will no longer be sold in Brockwell Park before Christmas this year if this planning application gets approved? . I don’t think they have told @pinesandneedles

[Save Cressingham @SaveCressingham]

@benkind This is unacceptable. Health & safety risk. @lambeth_council is close to bankruptcy, but this should not be allowed.

[The Log Lady @gamecounsel]

Apparently @lambeth_council no longer categorises this disgusting back surge from external pipes as an emergency. What a way to live.