Protecting Peckham's Heritage

[Eileen]

The plans

The developer Berkeley Homes have submitted a planning application to redevelop the Aylesham Centre close to the junction of Peckham High Street and Rye Lane, containing Morrison’s supermarket, car park, & petrol station, Aylesham shopping arcade and most of that side of Rye Lane between Hanover Park and Peckham High Street. The application is for a mixed housing, retail, leisure and commercial development, in buildings ranging from 5 to 20 storeys.

Impact

Local people who have studied the detailed plans think that the development would dominate the historic town centre which has evolved since the 18^th century, and would ruin the Conservation Area which was awarded in 2011 'to preserve and enhance its character and appearance'. More than 65% of the homes to be built in this unimaginative over-bearing development will be unaffordable by most people who live in Southwark, and provide inadequate open and green space for this part of Peckham.

Need for discussion

This is such an important issue for south London that it needs wide discussion before the Council Planning Committee takes its decision (not before next Spring). A free on-line talk and discussion to clarify the heritage issues we all need to think about is being held on Monday 11^th November 7-8.30pm. All will be welcome. Please register on this link: https://Defend-Peckhams-Heritage-2024.eventbrite.co.uk

There are several other key issues raised by the plans which are being examined in the Aylesham Community Action (ACA) campaign. You can find the link to all that and other useful information here: www.linktr.ee/acapeckham

The zoom session is being arranged by Peckham Heritage the local group that has grown from the community work alongside the restoration of nine historic buildings in Peckham High Street through the Townscape Heritage Initiative.

We hope that EDF members who value local heritage will be able to attend the session to hear and take part in the discussion, and report back to this topic so the discussion can continue.

[alice]

More interested in the future than the past. 

[Spartacus]

Peckham, as a major town centre, needs investment and development, the Aylesham Community Action group over the past few years seem determined to keep it down and undeveloped and not once have they put forward alternatives to improve it.

A development of this size will bring more people into the town centre catchment area and as such additional spending which will help change the offering in Peckham. 

Equally it will change the Aylsham centre which needs a boost of this nature to make it a destination point. 

Southwark urgently needs more housing and this is a great solution for it, there are a few very hidden old shops and buildings scattered around but the development area is a supermarket and car park so not a heritage site.

I am sure, like me, you are fed up of the grafitti blight in the town centre caused partially by the closure of Rye Lane during covid and the feeling by some that the town centre is neglected. A redevelopment in the town centre might be the catalyst for improvements to Peckham.

Come on Eileen stop blocking what potentially is good thing for Peckham, its people and shoppers and maybe make Peckham a destination, or do you have a better plan to improve the town centre? 

[sunbob]

The tall buildings will block the view from Peckham Levels.

[Spartacus]

Imagine the far better view from a rooftop bar in the new development?. Now that's worth making sure is part of the plan 

[Earl Aelfheah]

The designs do look awful.

[alice]

Did you go to any of the meetings I thought the designs were pretty good.  

[Sephiroth]

I'm all for good design v bad design (accepting that can be subjective) but I suspect most people formally and actively objecting to this (and many similar schemes across the country) aren' TOO exercised by the design - it's just blocking for blocking sake and is a major reason this country can't build anything

If we are going to house people, not everyone is going to have a parking space or garden - sorry kids. look to Europe and other parts of the world where denser housing is more commonplace. I can't see any reason why a major capital like London can't build schemes of this scale

[malumbu]

It's about scale.  London was a low rise city and the massive developments in the Elephant, Vauxhall Cross, the City and no doubt elsewhere have come from Livingstone's time as Mayor where he recognised that we need far more office space in London to compete on the world financial circuit,  That said interesting that there is still massive investment in retail such as Battersea Power Station and Kings Cross at a time where more and more purchases are on line.

As with everything there is probably an acceptable compromise and perhaps the project will be scaled down a little.

[alice]

It’s already been scaled down by those who don’t want change for the last 15+ years