You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Aylesbury Estate Inquiry to start in January
A date has been set for a new public inquiry into Southwark Council’s controversial plans for compulsory purchases to enable the regeneration of a huge estate in south London.
On 9 January 2018, the fresh inquiry into the public interest of a compulsory purchase order (CPO) will begin, led by government inspector Martin Whitehead. The venue has yet to be confirmed but campaigners intending to launch a legal challenge yesterday hit their £10,000 target for funds.
Another inquiry is needed after Sajid Javid, secretary of state for communities and local government, withdrew his objections to the proposal. Southwark had originally attempted to purchase homes on the Aylesbury Estate in order to carry out its regeneration plans.
Leaseholders living on the estate challenged the proposals, winning over Mr Javid, who in September last year said that the CPO could have “a potential disproportionate impact on the elderly and children from [BME] groups” and that many leaseholders on the estate would be unable to afford new homes on the estate.
READ MORE
The secretary of state, however, conceded to a legal challenge from Southwark in May this year when the council argued that he had not paid due attention to their withdrawal of one of the more controversial aspects of its proposals. It had intended to rehouse leaseholders in shared ownership properties only if they gave up all but £16,000 of their savings.
The council argued successfully that Mr Javid ought to have given more weight to its withdrawal of this proposal.
Campaigners, however, have argued that the plans still threaten to displace the local community.
Mark Williams, Southwark Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and new homes, said: “We are looking forward to making our case for this vital project that will build hundreds of new, top quality and genuinely affordable homes for local people, as well extra care housing for some of our most vulnerable residents.”
