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Activists who are occupying homes on the controversial Sweets Way estate in north London decided to renovate one of the boarded-up houses slated for demolition. The aim was to create a ‘show home’.
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The Sweets Way estate in Barnet has become an emblem of the housing crisis – and protesters’ response to it.
Last December, private developer Annington Homes won planning permission to demolish the 142 ex-military homes on the estate, and to build 288 new homes. In the meantime, the homes had been let out as temporary accommodation, managed by Notting Hill Housing Association. (Annington declined to comment for this story.)
All but 10 of the families had already been evicted from the estate, but the remaining residents decided to fight the evictions. In February, mums from the Focus E15 protest group crossed from east to north London to help, opening up some of the homes in what they called a political occupation. Comedian Russell Brand backed the campaign. Inside Housing understands that at the moment, one tenant remains on the estate.
In July, the story took a new turn, as activists decided to open up another home on the estate - 153 Sweets Way. The aim was to renovate the boarded-up home, at a cost of about £300.
A spokesperson said: “Regeneration doesn’t have to be a horrendously expensive code word for social cleansing; it can be a collective, sustainable and affordable way for people to come together and improve their homes and their community. We’re just highlighting something communities across London can do wherever they are.”
In the photo story that follows, we introduce you to some of the activists and residents working on the project. The people we spoke to came from a broad range of backgrounds.
Take Emmanuel Lotta (pictured, above). Our photographer, Tim Foster, went up onto the roof with him as he fixed a leak. ‘Em’ came to London from Paris after loosing all his money six months ago. He arrived in England broke and looking to start a new life. ‘People here gave me an Oyster card, a beer and a place to sleep,’ he says. ‘I thought my life could not get any worse and now these people have made me realise there’s more to life, and I actually think my life is richer emotionally now than it ever was.’
The Sweets Way estate. At the end of this row of empty houses, protesters and activists are renovating one building.
The 142 homes on Sweets Way have been boarded up – the developer Annington intends to demolishing them and building 229 new homes. These dilapidated garages show the current environment on the estate
The toilets have been ripped out to prevent squatting in the homes
By December last year, all but two families had left the estate. Squatters and activists from the Focus E15 group of mums decided to occupy some of the homes in protest at plans to demolish it, backed by comedian Russell Brand
A family brings materials to be used in the renovation
Last week, the activists decided to renovate one of the properties – number 153 on the estate. The plan was to open a ‘show home’.
Cat Denby is studying history at university in the area. After she struggled to afford housing, Ms Denby moved into a squat.
One of the activists working on the renovation. He did not want to give Inside Housing his name.
Liam, from Toronto, is one of the organisers of the renovation work. He met his partner at the Sweets Way estate.
In the garden, Liam’s partner uses stones for decoration
The activists decorate a shed on the estate, putting down in words their determination to fight, presumably, down to the last shed
Sweets Way family: from left to right, Daniel Doynova, Anrdew Grealish and Zaltka Doynova, plus dog Bubbles
The finishing touch on the newly installed wood floor in the show room: a reminder of the cause
Proving we can Do It Ourselves! How we rebuilt an #SWshowhome, smashed up by @AnningtonHomes: https://t.co/IRXMCTumzHpic.twitter.com/cNDoBxpANR
— Sweets Way Resists (@SweetsWayN20) August 3, 2015
