Lambeth tower proposal causes resident rebellion
A tower-block-proposal in Lambeth has come under fire from local residents, with attention turning to the record of council-owned housing company Homes for Lambeth.
The proposal for three towers all above nine storeys will block sunlight reaching a nearby park, playground and school and involve the uprooting of 43 trees.
Residents complain that the project at Denby Court would see only one additional social housing unit brought to the area, whose tallest building currently is five storeys high.
The project is being spearheaded by Homes for Lambeth, a council-owned housing company.
Brixton Buzz, a local media outlet, reported earlier this month that Homes for Lambeth had delivered just four social homes in the past four years, despite a commitment to build 1,000 over the same period.
Buzz has also reported that Lambeth taxpayers were forced to prop up Homes for Lambeth with a £7.5m loan. The firm itself filed a loss of £8.5M in the last financial year, and a freedom of information request filed last year revealed the company had spent £9m on salaries since its founding in 2018.
A Homes for Lambeth spokesperson said that the company had in fact delivered 16 brand-new council homes, alongside 134 homes at “council level rent” through partnerships with other providers via section 106 obligations. A further 106 homes are under construction, the spokesperson said. Fifty of those are at council-level rent.
The Denby Court project appears to be the largest Homes for Lambeth project yet undertaken.
Residents are angry that an alternative scheme is not being considered, though they say it would provide a similar level of social and affordable housing without putting the park in shadow for much of the afternoon.
One local resident told City PM that “Lambeth are planning to plunge a school playground and nursery into darkness during daylight in a desperate bid to prop up their failing housing company.
“Unsurprisingly local councillors support the proposal – despite huge local opposition – because they are all part of the same one party state,” they said.
Residents also say the Homes for Lambeth online portal for consultation was down for maintenance for a long-period of time.
Local MP Florence Eshalomi gave a statement to a meeting of local residents, in which she said “I have always fought for the right of the community to be heard in planning decisions that impact them. There should be no exception here. I am clear that any new proposal for the site of Denby Court must contain a strong affordable housing contingent and be in keeping with the existing aesthetic of the area, while not negatively impacting residents of surrounding streets in a disproportionate manner.”
The council also seems to be moving in the opposite direction of its commitment to achieve net zero by 2030. As a rule, tower blocks are more carbon-intensive than lower height buildings.
An email sent to the council seen by City PM says the development had the opportunity to be a “gold standard for meeting Lambeth’s housing needs” and instead is set to damage “a well-used and well-loved green space.”
The plans are set to be debated this evening, with the Council encouraging their approval.
A Homes for Lambeth spokesperson said: ‘Our proposals at Denby Court will see 141 much-needed new homes delivered on an underdeveloped site. Sixty-three of the new homes will be affordable homes for local families on the housing waiting list.
‘The plans propose new trees, improve shared outdoor spaces for all residents, including the local parks, and enhance frontage on the three surrounding roads. The new homes will include a mix of one, two and three-bedroom homes that will cater to various needs, including wheelchair accessibility.
‘During construction, the site will create jobs for local people and when completed the new homes will contribute to the local economy. Additionally, the reduction in carbon emissions across the site highlights our commitment to Lambeth council’s net-zero by 2030 target.’