Residents of Cressingham Gardens held a “We love Cressingham!” event on Saturday to show how much the estate is loved by residents and therefore why it should not demolished.
At the event, residents presented the Mayor of Lambeth, Adedamola Aminu, with a giant Valentine’s Day card that said “We love Cressingham, do you?”.
There was food and drinks, face painting, performances by local musicians, poetry readings and “a chance for residents to chat about the future of the estate.”
Regeneration plans by Lambeth Council for Cressingham Gardens include the demolition, or partial demolition, of the estate, forcing the eviction of residents from their homes.
Residents would prefer to see the estate refurbished so that people aren’t forced out of Brixton and the community is not torn apart.
Last month residents accused Lambeth Council of “grossly inflating” the cost of the refurbishment.
At the event were Eileen and Michael O’Keeffe, who were that day celebrating 39 years on the estate.
“We don’t want to lose our community,” Michael said. “If we are forced out, our lives will be totally destroyed.”
Eileen added: “We arrived here in 1976, its our home. Where will we go? We’re too old to start somewhere new, how can we afford it?”
“But we hope we’ll be here next year, celebrating our 40th anniversary on the estate, with the improvements done and the community intact.”
http://lambethlabour-labourclp132.nationbuilder.com/why_we_re_rebuilding_cressingham_gardens
Lambeth have sold off loads of social housing and have left properties to fall down through lack of care.
On top of that it has not bothered to act on its right to take over private landlords empty properties and house the homeless.
Its supported Blairite/Thatcher economics created by Milton Friedman that was totally at odds with the needs of the poor.
Where do you see this “trickle Down” effect?
In reality they have and continue to support the trickle up effect that will see more Quantative Easing that will make us all poorer, by giving your wealth to banks. Yes the same banks that went bankrupt through their own greed and incompetence.
It is this that has caused the cuts and is why now the Labour council has to sell of homes and break up communities like Cressingham Gardens.
Of course the new homes will not be “affordable” to the less well off let alone the poor.
expensive new flat overlooking the park will not be going to the present residents. That make the Labour council complisit with social clensing. The poor dont deserve to live in nice places. Not with this council.
In the 50s 60s and 70s Lambeth build some of the countries best most delightful, award winning social housing that improved many peoples lives and still does. but now the present council is bent of pulling them down.
In truth Labour are still Following Thatcherite policies.
Its incompetence, lack of vision, lack of planning and shows their real disregard for people. But worse, far worse than that is that this shows that they have lost their ideals, they don’t instinctively know where they are going or what kind of economy will work or have any debate on the nature of society. Lambeth council are a self congratulatory bunch of nodding dogs, all inning up to slap each others backs while desperately trying to patch up the mistakes of last week.
I was in the council meeting of the 27th and one thing i did note is that the Labour 98% majority did not even have an alternative budget worked out! At least have a non austerity budget worked out just in case you win the general election would not be too much to ask.
Labour are carrying out Thatcherite policies weather told to or not.
Ask yourself, did Lambeth get better after the election?