Campaigners protest against plans to build on a much-loved green space in Peckham

By Charles Harrison

Campaigners have continued to protest over the weekend against plans to build new homes on a ‘much-loved’ green space in Peckham.

Southwark council’s plan to build on the 1.4 acre space just off Peckham High Street has drawn anger from the community who say they rely on it as their only nearby green area.

The development plans on the Sumner House and Flaxyard development, -known locally as “Peckham Green” – were announced as part of the council’s commitment to building 11,000 new homes in the borough by 2043.

American comedian Lewis Schaffer, 64, who has been helping organise the protests, said: “I am totally surprised our campaign to get the Council to respect estates has gotten this much traction.

“We will be having a mass event on Peckham Green in about three weeks to highlight the planned loss of that wonderful park and to bring attention to the damage that infill development is causing around the borough.

“We will not let them build there. It cannot be built there. And infill buildings cannot be built in so many places around the borough.

“You don’t build private housing on parks. You don’t build on children’s play areas.

“You don’t build on sports courts and pitches. You don’t build on parks during a time of pandemic. You don’t build on parks during a time of climate change.

“You don’t build on parks. And if the council thinks that they can solve the housing crisis by building on parks then they are the problem. We meet Saturday at 5PM on the Green. Everyone should come.”

“It’s a massively important space,” said Caspar Wichmann, 42, who lives on nearby Sumner Road.

“It’s the only green space in that area – how can you take that away from everybody?

“It should never have even been considered. It’s bizarre.”

The council state that the proposed development will provide 120 new homes, 96 of which will be council homes and 24 shared ownership homes.

Protests have taken place every Saturday for a month on the development, where locals gather with signs.

Protestors argue that despite being named as a development plot, the area functions as a park and fulfils roles as a social space, a place for emergency ambulance helicopters to land, and a place for religious worship.

They also argue the new homes will come at the expense of existing council estate residents, putting pressure on local schools and parking, and blocking sunlight.

“There is a big disconnect with the council,” said protestor Peter Gamble from East Street Market.

“I really thought they would understand, because there are a lot of people who are against it.

“We are going to keep fighting.”

The Mayor of Peckham Green exhorts us "Let us save the green." We shouldn't be building on our parks, housing emergency or no housing emergency. Tell @lb_southwark to stop. @PantryPeckham @WHITEHORSEse15 @PeckhamTolo @CamberwellSoc @_pasttense_ pic.twitter.com/iy4XJMCRUm

— Save Peckham Green (@peckham_green) May 23, 2021

Mr Schaffer added: “Everyone I’ve spoken to is against this. Not one person said this is a good idea.

“It’s anti-green, it’s anti-estate and it’s anti-democratic.

“You don’t make estates worse to solve the housing crisis.”

When asked what protestors would suggest as an alternative to the new housing project, Mr Schaffer argued this was not their responsibility.

“The council created this problem in the first place, and they want us to come up with an idea to do something about it,” he said.

“They want to get back credibility after Heygate – this is an act of desperation.”

The predominantly council home Heygate Estate in Elephant and Castle was controversially demolished in 2011-14 under an agreement between Southwark Council and multinational developer Lendlease.

The new development Elephant Park has attracted criticism for including only 82 social houses in its nearly 3,000 new homes.

Mr Schaffer also cited the case of councillor Leo Pollak, who last year was exposed by a South London Press investigation for using an anonymous Twitter account to criticise resident-led campaigns as “pathetic nimbyism.”

Mr Pollak resigned following the investigation.

Cllr Stephanie Cryan, Cabinet Member for Council Homes and Homelessness, said: “We have worked closely with residents and other stakeholders in the area to create the designs and we are confident that the development will enhance the surrounding area as well as providing high-quality new council homes for local people.

“All of the new homes will have either balconies or garden spaces, and they will all be built in line with our high-quality design standards.

“The Flaxyard development is one of many sites we are working on across the borough to deliver desperately-needed council housing for our residents. There are currently over 15,000 households on our housing waiting list.

“These residents’ lives are being affected on a daily basis and some will be living in overcrowded accommodation.

“Developing council homes on council-owned land is the most impactful thing we can do to ensure that there are secure, affordable, high-quality homes for our residents.

“We know that there will sometimes be conflicting interests on our new council homes sites, but the 96 council homes we will be building here will be for local people who are in housing need”.