Lambeth Council reverses demolition plans for two housing estates

Lambeth Council's Cabinet has formally abandoned plans to demolish Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens housing estates. The decision, made on October 21, means the estates will be kept, maintained, and repaired instead of being redeveloped. Knights Walk in Kennington is also no longer part of the New Homes Hexagon Portfolio.

A report presented to the Cabinet stated that the comprehensive redevelopment of both Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens, which would have involved demolition and rebuilding, was found to be financially unviable by council officers. The council has indicated it will now focus on delivering 'genuinely affordable homes' and respecting the borough's architectural heritage.

End to resident uncertainty

Cllr Scott Ainslie, Cabinet Member for Planning and Development, Built Environment and Public Realm, stated that the decision ends years of uncertainty for residents. He said: "For too long, regeneration in Lambeth has meant years of uncertainty for the people it was meant to help. Residents have lived under the threat of demolition, unsure whether they could stay in the place they call home - well that ends now." He added that the council would "govern alongside residents, not over them" and that the homes would be kept, maintained properly, and repaired.

Cllr Pete Elliot, Cabinet Member for Housing and a former resident of Central Hill, welcomed the decision as a break from a "failed chapter in Lambeth's history". He noted that previous administrations had pursued demolition as the default solution, leading to millions of pounds spent on schemes that did not materialise or were substandard, causing residents anxiety and disruption.

Resident advocacy and review findings

Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens are post-war developments designed by architects led by Ted Hollamby. Residents had campaigned for over 12 years to prevent the demolition of their estates. During the Cabinet meeting, residents shared emotional accounts of the prolonged uncertainty they had endured. Anne Cooper, a resident of Cressingham Gardens, thanked Green Party members, including Cllr Jonathan Bartley, Cllr Elliott, and Cllr Ainslie, for campaigning alongside residents for over a decade.

A 2022 review by Sir Bob Kerslake, former head of the civil service, found resident feedback on the estates to be "uniformly negative" and noted that trust levels in the council were "exceptionally low" due to poor communication and inconsistent policy. The review also recommended closing the council's housing company, Homes for Lambeth, which had been managing the estate renewal programme. The programme has since been brought back in-house.

Future council priorities

Lambeth Council now plans to work with residents on proposals for Westbury Estate in Clapham Town. The council also intends to review options for Fenwick Estate in Clapham North and develop plans for South Lambeth Estate in collaboration with residents. Cllr Martin Abrams, Leader of Lambeth Council, acknowledged the determination of residents and campaigners, stating the administration's task is to "protect the homes people have, improve the homes they live in, and build the homes our communities urgently need."