We oppose the redevelopment of Lewisham Shopping Centre, here's why

Faris Luke is a lead organiser with Lewisham People's Assembly.

We oppose the redevelopment of Lewisham Shopping Centre by its owner, Landsec, not because we are against change in our borough, but because we are deeply concerned that our current development model is failing to deliver on critical public sector goals.

Only 98 of the 1744 homes being built in the redevelopment are intended to be social housing, whilst 11,000 people are currently on our social housing waiting list. Furthermore, whilst 12% of Lewisham families live in overcrowded conditions, only 8% of the homes in this redevelopment will have more than 3 bedrooms and be suitable for a family containing 2 children.

 The council lags in its social housing construction; of the 13,996 homes built since 2011, only 24% (3359) were affordable.

As a borough, we are missing 5,343 affordable homes; everyone who lives in Lewisham wants to see it improve for the better, but we must seriously question whether or not approving and pursuing the same model of essentially hoping that the construction of tens of thousands of market-rate homes is really what is needed to rectify our local housing crisis.

Over in Elephant and Castle on the site of its former shopping centre, 1-bedroom flats are being offered at starting prices of £3,100 a month; the Lewisham Shopping Centre is expected to attract a “premium” over other local developments in the surrounding area. 

Is the construction of thousands of luxury flats really what Lewisham needs to solve its housing crisis, with the urgency that it requires? Many of our borough’s young, working-class and ethnic minority residents, particularly Black British people, are disproportionately at risk of being displaced.

As a young person myself, I and many others repeatedly question whether or not settling down in Lewisham is something that is financially and socially feasible for me in the long term.

At the Lewisham People's Assembly, we believe that major development projects need to deliver on public sector goals to be considered suitable.

We do not want to see these current plans go ahead, because the affordable housing offer, the most important aspect of this development, is far, far behind what this borough needs.

If you cannot meet the basics, then all of the other proposed benefits will be largely moot, as it's very likely local people who live here now will not be able to enjoy the benefits by the time construction ends.

Our rally on the 23rd of September outside Lewisham Town Hall will rally Lewisham residents before a public debate on our petition, which has gained over 4,500 signatures.

The Lewisham Green Party-dominated council and cabinet will debate our petition and will either accept, reject, or defer the demands of our campaign. “If the Lewisham Shopping Centre Redevelopment cannot secure 50% affordable housing as stated in Lewisham Local Plan, then the council should reject the plans”.

18 Green councillors signed our pledge

18 Green Councillors, including the current mayor Liam Shrivastava, and three current cabinet members signed our public pledge stating that, as councillors, they will use their positions to reject developments that do not fulfil 50% affordable housing.

We advise the Green Party that creating bold politics will require bold action, and if the council were to support the development or seek to gain more concessions from the developers via viability reviews or GLA grant funding, then they are employing the same logic as their Labour predecessors.

If you agree with our demands and sentiments, then we will love to see you there on the 23rd of September. We can fight for development that works for us, not for rich property giants.

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