Heygate Estate

Heygate Estate

View of the main site of the Heygate Estate from Strata
Location Elephant and Castle, Walworth, Southwark, London, England
Coordinates 51°29′35″N 0°05′46″W / 51.49306°N 0.09611°WCoordinates: 51°29′35″N 0°05′46″W / 51.49306°N 0.09611°W
Status Demolished
Constructed 1974
Demolished 2011-2014
Governing
Body		 Southwark Council

The Heygate Estate was a large housing estate located in Walworth, Southwark, south London. The estate was demolished as part of the regeneration of the Elephant and Castle area.[1] It was home to more than 3,000 people.[2]

The Heygate was situated adjacent to Walworth Road and New Kent Road, and immediately east of the Elephant and Castle road intersection.

Construction

The Corbusian concept behind the construction of the estate was of a modern living environment. The neo-brutalist architectural aesthetic was one of tall, concrete blocks dwarfing smaller blocks, surrounding central communal gardens. The architect's concept was to link all areas of the estate via concrete bridges, so there was no need for residents to walk on pavements or along roads. In fact, it was even planned to build bridges to the neighbouring Aylesbury Estate, further south in Walworth.

Designed by Tim Tinker,[3] the estate was completed in 1974.[4]

The estate was once a popular place to live, the flats being thought light and spacious,[5] but the estate later developed an unfounded reputation for crime, poverty and dilapidation.[6] One resident complained about constant noise, crime and threats of violence as a result of the estate being used for temporary housing ahead of its redevelopment. He claimed that the sheer scale of many of the blocks also meant there was little sense of community.[7] However, other residents disagreed that the estate should have been considered a slum and an eyesore, or that the buildings failed to foster a sense of community. Around 30 separate testimonies from former residents have been collated by a local microblogging site.[8] Architect Tim Tinker described the estate's 'notorious' reputation as a "farrago of half-truths and lies put together by people who should have known better."[9]

Regeneration

In 1999 Southwark council's Director of Regeneration Fred Manson sparked controversy when in an interview about the Elephant & Castle regeneration he claimed that "social housing generates people on low incomes coming in and that generates poor school performances, middle-class people stay away."[10]

The Elephant and Castle regeneration is a £1.5billion scheme to redevelop the area around the Elephant and Castle road junction. The first phase includes the complete demolition of the Heygate Estate, to be replaced with 2,500 new homes.[11] The demolition will cost approximately £15 million], with £44m already spent on emptying the estate and a further £21.5 million spent on progressing its redevelopment.[8][12]

Heygate residents were originally promised new homes as part of the regeneration, but these had not been built by the time they were 'decanted' off the estate in 2007.[13]

In March 2010 only 20 of the 1200 flats were still occupied.[14] The estate remained accessible and was used as ad hoc allotments and for local events and projects, and became known as the Elephant and Castle Urban Forest.[15]

A council blunder in February 2013 revealed that it had sold the 9 hectare estate to Lend Lease Group for just £50m, having spent £44m emptying the site and £21.5m on planning its redevelopment.[16]

Ironically, earlier regeneration plans had included a proposal for redevelopment of the estate under the auspices of a Community Land Trust, however the Council had rejected this proposal on the grounds that it would reduce the land value available to the Council.[17]

In February 2013, the last remaining residents on the estate appeared at a public inquiry into the Compulsory Purchase Order issued on their homes.[18] The residents were part of local group named Better Elephant which is proposing alternatives to demolition in its Neighbourhood Plan[19][20] and were supported by Catherine Croft from the Twentieth Century Society who confirmed that the estate could "easily be refurbished".[21]

The Compulsory Purchase Order was confirmed in July 2013 amid reports [22] that the remaining residents were being forced to relocate to the outskirts of London.

In September 2013, a London Assembly report [23] claimed that Southwark Council had looked at different options for the estate in 1998. It said the surveyors found that the buildings were structurally sound and suggested that the best option was refurbishment. It said that the survey also found that four in five residents didn’t want to move off the estate, and that the crime rate was half the average for the borough of Southwark.

In November 2013 the last resident was removed and all access points to the estate were closed.[24]

In December 2013, the Design Council published an article "in defence of the Heygate estate", in which it praised the architectural design, questioned the demolition and asserted that the estate "could have enjoyed a second life".[25]

Timeline of Developments

In February 2004,[26] the masterplan for regenerating the Elephant and Castle, including the demolition of the Heygate Estate, was adopted by Southwark Council.[27]

In July 2007, a consortium of Lend Lease Group, First Base and Oakmayne were chosen as developers for the Elephant and Castle regeneration scheme.[28]

In July 2010, Southwark Council signed a development agreement with global property giant Lend Lease Group for the regeneration of Elephant and Castle.[29]

In April 2011, demolition started on the Heygate Estate.[1]

In July 2014, the Heygate Estate was demolished earlier than expected.

The remainder of the estate is not due to be demolished until 2015. The Council leader says that the reason for such a lengthy process is due to large amounts of asbestos within the estate's construction.[30]

In August 2012 the remaining leaseholders on the estate were served with a Compulsory Purchase Order by Southwark Council. The group of leaseholders have said they intend to object to the Order on the grounds that the redevelopment plan proposes no affordable housing and does not have a provision for renewable energy.[31]

In October 2012 MP Simon Hughes called for the first detailed Heygate planning application to be withdrawn because it proposes just eight social rented homes.[32] Outline planning permission for the Heygate site proposes 2,535 new homes in total of which just 79 will be social rented.[33]

In November 2013, the last remaining residents were evicted from the estate by bailiffs.[34]

In July 2014, the Council leader came under criticism for having accepted gifts from developer Lend Lease; these included a trip to MIPIM - a real estate jamboree in Cannes, and two £1,600 tickets to the Olympics.[35]

Heygate in popular culture

Due to its urban decay and location, the estate has been extensively used as a filming location. Films have included Attack the Block, Shank,[36] Harry Brown,[37] The Veteran,[38] World War Z,[39] Luther (series 1 ep. 2), The Bill TV series,[5] and gang drama Top Boy.[40] High profile music videos, including "Hung Up" by Madonna and "Love Don't Let Me Go (Walking Away)" by David Guetta have also been filmed on the estate. In total, 76 films have been made on the estate over three years to 2010, earning Southwark Council £91,000 in fees.[41]

The Skygarden Estate in Ben Aaronovitch's book Broken Homes is based on Heygate Estate.[42]

Related

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Moore, Keith (15 April 2011). "'Muggers' paradise' the Heygate Estate is demolished". London: BBC. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  2. ↑ "Design for Social Sustainability : A Framework for Creating Thriving New Communities". Plannig.ri.gov. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
  3. ↑ Moss, Stephen (4 March 2011). "The death of a housing ideal". The Guardian (London).
  4. ↑ Collins, Michael (23 December 2001). "The Elephant's grave yard". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Walker, Peter (3 September 2010). "South London's Heygate estate mourned by locals – and Hollywood". 'The Guardian'.
  6. ↑ "Heygate estate". BBC London. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  7. ↑ Anderson, Ros (21 October 2006). "My Home is Going to Be Demolished". London: The Guardian.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Steadman, Ian. "Look to the Heygate Estate for what's wrong with London's housing". New Statesman. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  9. ↑ Online, BBC (19 July 2013). "Heygate Compulsory Purchase Order Upheld". BBC. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  10. ↑ Orr, Deborah (29 June 1999). "A blueprint for the rich". London: The Independent. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  11. ↑ "Elephant and Castle development facts 15 April 2011".
  12. ↑ Southwark Council Retrieved 4 July 2014
  13. ↑ Moss, Stephen (4 March 2011). "Death of a Housing Ideal". Guardian Newspaper (London: Guardian Media Group). Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  14. ↑ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/living-in-ghostland-the-last-heygate-residents-1930054.html
  15. ↑ http://elephantandcastleurbanforest.com/
  16. ↑ Bar-Hillel, Mira. "Elephant & Castle Estate Revamp Ripped Off Taxpayers". Evening Standard Newspaper. Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  17. ↑ Stringer, Jacob. "Housing Co-operatives: Building Resistance to the Market". New Left Project. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  18. ↑ Jon, Land. "Feelings Run High as Heygate estate Public Inquiry Closes". Dash24. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  19. ↑ Emma, Ailes. "Heygate's a Green Haven". Southwark News. Southwark Newspaper Ltd. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  20. ↑ Better Elephant Retrieved 4 July 2014
  21. ↑ Elizabeth, Hopkirk. "Building Design Magazine". http://www.bdonline.co.uk''. UBM Plc. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  22. ↑ Mira Bar-Hillel (2013-08-02). "Residents of the Heygate estate forced to move out of London - London - News - London Evening Standard". Standard.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-12-31.
  23. ↑ "London Assembly report" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-12-31.
  24. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/nov/04/bailiffs-death-knell-heygate-estate
  25. ↑ Bender, Thomas. "In Defence of the Heygate estate". http://designcouncil.co.uk''. The Design Council. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  26. ↑ Dangerfield, Andy (29 August 2012). "Heygate Estate residents fight compulsory purchase order". BBC News. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  27. ↑ Moore, Keith (20 February 2004). "Massive revamp for the Elephant". London: BBC. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  28. ↑ Moore, Keith (24 July 2007). "Partner picked for £1.5billion Elephant revival". London: responsesource. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  29. ↑ Moore, Keith (7 July 2010). "Elephant and Castle regeneration plan given go-ahead". London: BBC. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  30. ↑ "Heygate to be Ghost Town Until 2014". Southwark News. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  31. ↑ Dangerfield, Andy (29 August 2012). "Heygate estate residents fight Compulsory Purchase Order". BBC Online. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  32. ↑ BBC, London News (25 October 2012). "MP calls for more affordable flats on estate". BBC. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  33. ↑ Minton, Anna. "The reconfiguration of London is akin to social cleansing". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  34. ↑ Walker, Peter. "Bailiffs sound death knell for vast Heygate estate in London". http://www.theguardian.com''. The Guardian Newspaper. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  35. ↑ "Private Eye News" (1371). Pressdram Ltd. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  36. ↑ "Controversial new film 'Shank' causes a stir on the Heygate Estate". South London Press.
  37. ↑ "Movies filmed in | Enjoy the best film locations in with filmaps". Filmaps.com. Retrieved 2013-12-31.
  38. ↑ "Actors on The Veteran film spark police gun inquiry".
  39. ↑ "World War Z filming location in London to prioritise more optimistic projects". The Location Guide. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  40. ↑ "South London housing estate residents say no to film-makers". BBC News. 3 February 2012.
  41. ↑ "Filming on Heygate Nets Council £91,000". Southwark News. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  42. ↑ Architectural and Historical Notes - Appendix to Ben Aaronovitch: "Broken Homes", London 2014, ISBN 978 1 473 20313 6

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