Leaseholders to be forced off Southwark estate

The London council is decanting and demolishing the Heygate Estate so a new 2,400-home development can be built.

But three leaseholders have rejected offers from the council to buy their homes, and remain on the site. The council has now served each of them with a compulsory purchase order, a legal notice allowing authorities to obtain land or property without the owner’s consent if it is for the public good.

The orders give the leaseholders 28 days to object to the secretary of state, if they are upheld the leaseholders will have a further 28 days to leave their properties.

The masterplan for the site, submitted by developer Lend Lease, will be heard later this year and the next phase of demolition is due to begin in early 2013.

Peter John, leader of Southwark Council, said: ‘The speed of progress at Elephant and Castle is remarkable.

‘The Heygate Estate is at the centre of the ambitious plans for this central location. I’m delighted that soon, local people will see the long awaited demolition begin, and new homes appear for them.

‘This will drive up the local economy and create better places for people to live, work and enjoy.’

Adrian Glasspool, one of the leaseholders remaining on the site, criticised the council for only offering around half of the average property price in Southwark for his home.

He said: ‘We are being dispossessed and permanently priced out of central London.’

A council spokesperson said an independent valuation of the property was carried out and the authority is only legally required to offer the equivalent average price for similar types of property in the same area, not the average for the borough as a whole.