ao link
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In

You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles

Second inquiry into Aylesbury CPO opens

The fresh inquiry into a compulsory purchase order (CPO) for the Aylesbury Estate opened today in Southwark.

Linked InTwitterFacebookeCard
A still of the Aylesbury Estate, from the film Dispossession (picture: Velvet Joy Productions)
A still of the Aylesbury Estate, from the film Dispossession (picture: Velvet Joy Productions)
Sharelines

Southwark continued its pursuit of a CPO for the Aylesbury Estate today #ukhousing

Campaigners argued that leaseholders on the Aylesbury Estate had not been offered enough #ukhousing

The second inquiry into CPOs on the Aylesbury Estate has opened #ukhousing

Southwark Council is continuing its attempts to compulsorily purchase homes from leaseholders on the estate, which it is regenerating in partnership with Notting Hill Housing, and the three-week process began with statements of case from both sides.

Southwark Council’s previous effort to compulsorily purchase homes on the Aylesbury Estate was rejected by housing secretary Sajid Javid.

Since then, the council has continued to demolish other areas of the estate and many leaseholders have accepted offers from the council on their homes. The current CPO inquiry relates to only three remaining leaseholders.


READ MORE

Aylesbury Estate Inquiry to start in JanuaryAylesbury Estate Inquiry to start in January
Javid rejects Aylesbury CPO bid on human rights groundsJavid rejects Aylesbury CPO bid on human rights grounds
Javid reverses decision on Aylesbury CPOJavid reverses decision on Aylesbury CPO

Martin Whitehead, the government inspector appointed to hear evidence, said he wanted to consider the following main issues:

  • Whether Southwark has negotiated with leaseholders
  • Whether it has a clear idea of how the land is to be used
  • Density and infrastructure, and how they interact with the local plan
  • The well-being of the area
  • Funding and delivery
  • Whether any alternative scheme would work
  • The Equality Act
  • The leaseholders’ human rights
  • Whether there is a public interest for the acquisition

In their statement of case, campaign groups 35% and Aylesbury Leaseholders Action Group argued that the council had not offered leaseholders enough compensation for their homes.

Their lawyer noted: “The effect of the affordability gap on leaseholders is evidenced by [statement writer] Anna Minton in relation to [leaseholder] Ms Robinson, whose current offer for her property stands at £225,000, whereas a two-bedroom flat in phase 1a has a market value of £602,000.”

He argued that the council ought to offer leaseholders like-for-like replacement homes in order to respect their human right to respect for their homes. This was council policy when the Aylesbury Area Action Plan was adopted in January 2010, but was withdrawn in December 2010.

Melissa Murphy, representing the council, argued that there was sufficient public interest to outweigh any interference with leaseholders’ human rights.

She also claimed that opposition to the CPO had been “exaggerated, for agitational reasons, by campaign groups and individuals whose principal points are not linked to the interests of the remaining leaseholders”.

Linked InTwitterFacebookeCard
Add New Comment
You must be logged in to comment.
By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to the use of cookies. Browsing is anonymised until you sign up. Click for more info.
Cookie Settings