Lambeth Council is considering the partial or full demolition and rebuild of Cressingham Gardens instead of simply repairing it. They want to build extra new flats on the estate which will destroy it’s existing vibrant community, wreck the estate’s unique 1970’s design by award winning architect Ted Hollamby, and affect every user of nearby Brockwell Park.

Please sign our petition and save Cressingham Gardens from destruction!

WE THE UNDERSIGNED CALL ON LAMBETH COUNCIL TO;

STOP the demolition and rebuilding of Cressingham Gardens, the award winning architect’s designed estate by Brockwell Park.

INCLUDE the whole of Cressingham Gardens within the Brockwell Park Conservation Area, as recommended by English Heritage in their recent assessment of the estate.

PRESERVE the estate’s unique architectural heritage, as highlighted by The 20th Century Society in their recent report, by carrying out much needed repairs so that the estate can be appreciated by both residents and park users for many years to come.

Just some of the impacts if the council's proposal goes ahead:

1. A Community Uprooted. If demolished, tenants (many of whom have lived on the estate for decades) would be uprooted and relocated, and leaseholders would be evicted under "Compulsory Purchase Orders," resulting in many being forced to leave London altogether.

2. Architecture Destroyed. Cressingham Gardens was designed by Edward "Ted" Hollamby, a highly influential architect, in the 1970’s. He was a "champion of modern low-rise estates responsive to topography and local conditions". The estate blends well with Brockwell Park and is barely visible above the tree line. The staggered building heights and ample green spaces provide a “village feel” that belies the estate’s central London location.

3. Blight of Brockwell Park. New high density buildings erected on the site will inevitably affect the precious views from within Brockwell Park, and will also see the loss of the green open spaces within the estate.

4. Pressure On Services. An influx of residents due to any proposed “regeneration” scheme will inevitably impact on local services.

Victorian sewage systems are inadequate, and water is already in short supply. Buses barely cope during rush hour, and school places and doctor’s surgeries struggle to keep up with demand.

5. More Flats = Increase In Crime. Cressingham Gardens currently has one of the lowest crime rates in the borough, due to it’s low density and people friendly design.

Here is what English Heritage and The 20th Century Society said about the estate about in their recent reports:

“We do recognize it’s local significance, and Conservation Area status is suggested as a means of reflecting it’s overall character.”

English Heritage

“It’s absolutely the opposite of the Gherkin. It’s good sensible housing, in the way that housing should be built.”

The 20th Century Society