Aylesbury Estate: Plans approved to demolish 373 flats

The Aylesbury Estate is one of the largest public housing estates in Europe

Hundreds of flats on the Aylesbury Estate in south London will be bulldozed as part of the next stage of redevelopment plans.

More than 370 flats will be demolished and replaced by a new block of flats and a 26-floor skyscraper.

Many residents have opposed the plans since they were first put forward.

Southwark Council's planning committee unanimously voted to approve the second stage of the Aylesbury estate's rebuild on Tuesday.

The regeneration project will include new flats and a 26-floor skyscraper

Once dubbed "hell's waiting room" by former Conservative leader Michael Howard, plans for redevelopment of the 2,700-home Aylesbury Estate, near Elephant and Castle, began in 2001.

The estate currently has 279 social rent homes, while the newly approved scheme will deliver a total of 245 affordable homes, with 163 being at social rent and the rest classed as intermediate rent.

Officials have acknowledged that there will be fewer social rent homes as a result of the rebuild, but said more four bedroom homes were being built which could house larger families.

The number of private homes on the estate will increase from 94 to 369.

'An unpalatable choice'

Liberal Democrat councillor Nick Johnson, who sits on the Southwark Council's planning committee, told the BBC: "I voted in favour of the redevelopment reluctantly. It was an unpalatable choice, I felt I had no option but to back it.

"If I said this wasn't a good enough option for residents then they would have to wait even longer for the redevelopment to go ahead and residents have been let down by the council for too long."

Within the four blocks that will be demolished, 60 homes still have families living in them.

The council says it has offered current residents a variety of options including allowing them to move to new homes being built on the estate or an alternative council property anywhere in the borough.

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Community groups and residents have also expressed concerns about the impact the planned 26-floor skyscraper will have for other residents.

Catriona Sinclair, from community group Friends of Burgess Park, said: "This is a problem. The old Aylesbury used to let daylight and sunlight into the whole area.

"We've now almost got a barrier around this space and I don't think people are considering how other people are going to live in this area."

Jake Brodetsky, from Notting Hill Genesis, a not-for-profit housing provider, told the planning committee the firm had "engaged in consultation with local residents including in person events, online events and exhibitions".

He said the plans were "inclusive" and would meet a "variety of housing needs".

After the plans were approved, James McAsh, Southwark Council's cabinet member for the climate emergency and sustainable development, said: "We are very pleased that NHG have got the go ahead for this next phase of new housing on the Aylesbury Estate, especially as it comes on the back of around 560 new council homes being built on the First Development Sites A and B".

Additional reporting by Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporting Service

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