Petition

Lambeth council targets yet another estate for “regeneration”,

Westbury Estate, SW8, is in danger!

Westbury has 242 homes on a well laid out and spacious estate with attractive grass and tree lined areas.

Lambeth Council do not seem to have any serious consideration for the current residents, regardless of the opposition to any redevelopment, the Council will bulldoze their way across the Westbury Estate to ruin lives.

The Council is proposing that up to 200units are added to the Estate, the disruptive building work could take up to five years to complete.

There are two Tower Blocks on the estate, both 204 feet high, 21 floors, 80 flats in each, total 160 homes, they will not be demolished. The main estate area is made up of maisonette blocks and single story flats a total of 82 homes. The Council plans to lever in up to 200 more units built in and around the current 82 homes causing devastation to the quality of life for the current residents. The complete demolition option of the 82 homes is also a strong scenario, how much worse can it get for the bullied residents!

Westbury is beloved by its residents because of its feeling of space and quiet, however, these wonderful qualities are obviously not allowed by Lambeth who consider the Westbury Estate ripe for plunder and caustic redevelopment.

Now the residents face the potential of overcrowding, reduced parking with local services unable to cope with the increase in people. Many residents in the estate have spent most of their lives there and have a strong sense of community. The phrase ‘A sense of community’ is often used by Lambeth Council in their literature when trying to qualify the redevelopment of Westbury and other estates. Ironically, the destruction of the Estates will divide communities, not enhance.

The Council commissioned a group called Social Life to gather information of resident’s thoughts on the redevelopment of the estate and Architects, Metropolitan Workshops, to prepare plans for the redevelopment. Some residents were advised in October last year of the redevelopment potential, some only heard in January this year. Over several recent meetings residents have met with the Council representatives together with Social Life & Metropolitan Workshop. However, each meeting raises more questions, most unanswered by Lambeth and leaves residents worried and confused.

Lambeth Council have shown a complete disrespect for the residents of Westbury Estate.

If the Council Officers are no longer trusted by their tenants and leaseholders, then the future of community cooperation will fail and send the Council Housing Estates back to the concrete jungles of the sixties. END.

Contact: westburysw8@hushmail.com