Two architecturally celebrated council estates in south London that have been under threat of demolition for more than a decade have been saved.
Residents of Cressingham Gardens and the Central Hill estate have campaigned tirelessly for their homes to be saved, saying the low-density 1960s developments are significant in design and popular with those living there.
Lambeth council argued that the estates were in poor repair and that razing them would create badly needed social and affordable homes.
The plans were pursued when Lambeth was controlled by Labour but the Greens won the most seats at elections in May and now run the council as a minority administration.
They oppose the demolition plans, which are expected to be reversed at a meeting of the cabinet next week.
The fate of the estates attracted wider attention, in part because of their design but also because of the many years of limbo faced by tenants and leaseholders as the council pursued demolition.
A 2022 review of Homes Lambeth, the now defunct body which managed housing for the council, questioned the redevelopment plans, saying the net number of social rent homes to be created was very small.
Sir Bob Kerslake, the former head of the civil service who led the review, said “feedback was uniformly negative”, with residents of estates earmarked for development citing inconsistent policy, delays and poor communication. He added: “As a consequence, levels of trust in the council are exceptionally low.”
Both threatened estates were designed by a team of Lambeth architects led by Ted Hollamby, who championed a move away from tower blocks toward lower-rise housing.
Cressingham Gardens, which adjoins Brockwell Park, was built to encourage neighbourliness, with front doors facing each other and green spaces for play.
The Central Hill project was led by Rosemary Stjernstedt when women were rare in social housing design. It was built on a sloping site near Crystal Palace, with homes maximising natural light.
Martin Abrams, the Green leader of Lambeth, said: “This is a decisive moment for Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens. It recognises the relentless work of my colleagues in securing the future for these communities without demolition. We can now focus on investing in residents’ homes and bringing empty properties back into use.”
Pete Elliott, the cabinet member for housing, said: “For over 12 years, we have fought for a better future for Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens. These proposals end years of uncertainty and put the focus where it belongs: repairing homes, supporting communities and filling empty properties.”
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