Full Breakdown
London Council Estates Saved from Demolition
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Background and Threatened Redevelopment
Two post-war council estates in south London—Cressingham Gardens in Brockwell Park and the Central Hill estate near Crystal Palace—have faced demolition proposals for more than a decade. Both estates are celebrated for their low-rise, neighbour-friendly design, the former led by architect Ted Hollamby and the latter by Rosemary Stjernstedt, a pioneering woman in social-housing design. Lambeth council previously argued that the estates were in poor repair and that razing them would free land for new social and affordable homes. The plans were advanced while the council was Labour-controlled; the Greens later won the most seats in the May election and now run the council as a minority administration, opposing the demolition agenda.
Council Review and Financial Viability
A 2022 review of the defunct Homes Lambeth, chaired by Sir Bob Kerslake, the former head of the civil service, concluded that feedback from residents was uniformly negative and that trust in the council was “exceptionally low.” The review also questioned the net gain of social-rent homes from the redevelopment, describing it as very small. Council officers subsequently found comprehensive redevelopment of Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens financially unviable, and noted that the first phase of the Knights Walk project had rendered the second-phase site inaccessible, making it unviable as well.
Political Shift and Upcoming Decision
The Greens, now leading the council as a minority administration, have pledged to reverse the demolition plans. Their position, together with the Kerslake Review findings, is set to be formalised at a cabinet meeting scheduled for 21 October. At that meeting, proposals will be submitted to protect both estates, retain their distinctive architecture, invest in existing homes, and return empty properties to use.
Planned Actions and Future Housing Strategy
Beyond protecting the two estates, Lambeth council will remove Knights Walk and Trinity Rise from the New Homes Hexagon Portfolio, work with residents on the Westbury estate to deliver hundreds of new genuinely affordable homes, and review options for the Fenwick and South Lambeth estates. The council intends to use a mix of delivery routes—including direct council building and purchase of homes—to meet its housing targets. Residents will receive a letter outlining the decisions, and updates will be posted on each estate’s website before the cabinet meeting.