Campaigners will take to the streets of Peckham tomorrow to protest against the overdevelopment of housing.
Berkeley Homes has informed Peckham Council that it plans to reduce its affordable housing offer from 35% to 12% in a new proposal to demolish the 1980s Aylesham Centre while constructing private flats on council land.
Organised by the SHAPE coalition (Southwark Housing and Planning Emergency), the event will bring people together to demand change while opposing Berkely Homes’ plans.
Activist and influencer Sophia Tassew, who will be attending the march on Saturday, said: “When this first happened to Elephant and Castle shopping centre, I went there on the final day before it got locked off for demolition, really taking it all in and it felt very surreal because I knew this was a piece of history that was going to be gone forever.
“Now it’s happening to Peckham, and I am very passionate about Peckham. It’s where I grew up, with my friends and my family.”
The march starts at 1pm at Peckham Square SE15 SRS and will end at Borough Triangle SE1.
SHAPE demand 50% council housing on private land and 100% council housing on council land to stop the displacement of traders for unaffordable housing and to protect community facilities and town centres.
Campaigners added: “We are living through a housing emergency.
“Despite huge developments across the borough, we have more people on the council house waiting list than we had twenty years ago.”
Out of the 900 houses Berkely proposes to build, only 77 will come under the “affordable” bracket according to SHAPE and calls for change are strong.
Sophia said: “Hopefully, even after Peckham, this march sets a precedent for other developers, other communities outside of South East London, and hopefully, there is some pushback.”
Protecting the community of Peckham is important to Sophia, 28.
She said: “I think Berkeley really underestimates the power of community action, so that is what inspired me even more to tell the world, tell as many people as possible so housing developers can see there is power in community.”
Peckham could also be losing smaller businesses and cultural amenities with these larger developments, and there are worries that the development could change Peckham’s vibrant nightlife.
A local retailer in the Aylesham centre said: “There are no plans for small businesses like us. They only have plans for Morrisons, and we’ll be unemployed with no jobs.”
Another independent retailer said: “We have been in the same location. The customers know us, we have a community.
“We have the experience of Elephant and Castle shopping centre, and it looks like the same will happen here, it is bad.”
Southwark Councillor Helen Davis said: “Peckham is one of many areas in our borough with a severe need for genuinely affordable homes.
“There are more than 4,000 households in Peckham and the nearby area on the waiting list for social housing. Good homes transform lives.”
Berkeley homes has refused to provide a comment.
Picture Credit – Shape Coalition
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