Existing and with Proposed Development Views from Elverson Road looking north east showing the towers within the outline element of the Proposed Development
An independent and well respected local design body has heavily criticised the planned redevelopment of the Heathside and Lethbridge estates. The Lewisham Design Panel has described the development as promising “a hostile physical environment which can create a hostile quality of life”. The plan for alongside Blackheath Hill was described as “very aggressive, bulky and monolithic with a brutalistic element to it”. The panel remained unconvinced by the towers of the 17 storey development and were disappointed that their previous concerns had not been addressed, accusing them of repeating the mistakes of the past. Simon Nundy commented, “Labour Lewisham have clearly learnt nothing. Plans to erect large tower blocks of what Boris rightly lampoons as “rabbit hutches” are simply recreating the mistakes of the past. We don’t have the infrastructure for such densely populated estates and we should have learnt by now that in a few years time they’ll be called “sink estates” and everyone will want them pulling down and replacing all over again.”
SIMON’S HOUSING POLICY
- Private developers will not be allowed to build irresponsibly
- Current housing stock will be brought up to Decent Homes standard
- Existing tenants will be encouraged and helped to buy their own homes (last year only 13 right to buys were sold)
- New “not-for-profit” Lewisham Bank with a brief to help local people buy their own home (see page 14)
- Waiting lists will be made fairer
- Problem tenants will be evicted
- Planned new tower blocks will be cancelled in favour of mixed low rise housing
