Regeneration

This article by George Turner in the Guardian is worth a read.
Some of us will be familiar with the issues, but this is a change in direction in the debate. Welcome for the residents who have fought so hard for their homes, and to be treated decently. Probably not so welcome for the council who have treated residents appallingly.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/sep/20/aylesbury-estate-ruling-future-regeneration-sajid-javid

Call it what you like but it's gentrification of the area and the only way to do that is to get rid of the people who live here. It's disgusting. It's the housing equivalent of ethnic cleansing. Now the council don't even demand that new buildings provide a certain amount of so-called affordable housing, but allow the buildings to be 100% private and allow them to build for the displaced in places like Peckham instead. What is planned to provide for the new occupants? Sainsburys and Waitrose... not exactly where the real people tend to shop. And the sad thing is that most of these places will be purchased by foreign investors who will never even come to the UK, but services will grow up around the area to provide for non existing occupants, services that will eventually close due to lack of customers and the area, which was once a thriving place, will become a bit of a ghost town. And all because Southwark are incompetant, corrupt, money grabbing bastards who really don't care abour the people who live in their burough unless they are rich.

I agree regeneration is a form of ethnic cleansing. Take a look at the Church Commissioners who sold their 'social housing' stock back in 2005/6 many residents had lived in their homes for years and suddenly the new landlord imposed huge above inflation rent rises forcing many residents to move as they simply could not afford it anymore. I have lived in SE1 since 1990 and the changes I have seen here are incredible but the area has lost it's character. I remember walking along the river during the day by the derelict Tate Modern before the Millennium Bridge and Globe were built and it was so peaceful with few people about, now it is too packed to walk around that area. Don't get me wrong I think what they have done to the riverside is really great but the area has now changed forever.

Agree with you batfastard and se1antique.
I wonder if the gentrification is unstoppable as it is based on greed, or if the Davids might fight the Goliaths in some way.
More here from the Guardian, and a chance to contribute.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/sep/19/city-resist-gentrification-displacement

History can be very romantic (even recent history). In reality things weren’t that good and I thank god every day when I see things proressing. Nothings perfect.

One is is regenerating with new housing and retail developments, another is social regeneration, where entire communities are moved out of an area and replaced with others...

Check out the front page of The Guardian's sports section today.
Barney Ronay is a senior sports journo there, has really get his teeth into something & is not letting go.

Interesting film here. Mentions Southwark and the shameful goings on that some of us are familiar with.

How #SocialCleansing Affects You #aylesburyestate youtu.be/Aqx0tp4IcD8

Here it is again. The link did not work.
Found it on Peoples Republic of Southwark Twitter

Interesting thoughts on "regeneration" (demolition) and "refurbishment"
It seems once we agree to demolition, we lose our tenancy rights.
Be interested if anyone knows more about this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqx0tp4IcD8&feature=youtu.be

This is long overdue.
Sadiq Khan is looking into what is happening at last.
There are hundreds of apartments springing up all around us, but out of reach for many Londoners. It is galling to see so many empty investor properties when people need homes to live in.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/sep/29/london-mayor-sadiq-khan-inquiry-foreign-property-ownership