The Aylesham Centre planning application was REFUSED!
Berkeley Group failed to get their gentrification scheme through. In a David and Goliath struggle the people of Peckham first pressured Southwark Council to refuse the scheme, then took the fight to the Planning Inspector and won.
Homes for All was proud to support the SHAPE campaign from the start.
The main reason for victory?
Unity, organised and demonstrated – repeatedly – on a mass scale. Six years of sustained pressure by ACA and SHAPE Coalition set up in 2024 to take the fight to the streets.
A demonstration of 600 in 2025, public meetings, benefit gigs, protests, 5,000 objections, a colossal fundraising effort. A campaign capturing the support of 21 Southwark organisations and inspiring many others.
The fundraise meant the campaign could pay for an excellent barrister and ACA was granted “Rule 6” status, meaning they could intervene effectively in the Inquiry.
Unite and fight, always.
The refusal
The biggest issue for local people was the insulting offer of 12% so-called affordable housing (no council housing on the table at all btw). But there were so many other things wrong with the proposed development that the Inspector wouldn’t have approved it even if the amount of affordable housing had been 35%.
Here’s some of the things the inspector said about the scheme:
“it would rise cliff-like in the townscape”
“It would tower over its setting”
“an unduly forceful presence on the street scene”
“The blocks would be out of scale, visually intrusive”
“overly domineering”
And so on…
This massive overdevelopment was disrespectful to the people of Peckham, and our local traders and environment. It was not right for Peckham. It put profit before people.
Developer’s next move?
Berkeley Group say they will look at the decision carefully to plan their next steps. They may try to get the decision overturned by a “288 challenge” (similar to a judicial review) or of course, they good re-submit a planning application. Painting themselves as the victims of the piece, they recognise the decision has repercussions elsewhere and are claiming developers will stop ‘investing’ in London now.
Telegraph article Legal row looms after 800 new London homes blocked
Southwark News article Aylesham Centre redevelopment rejected – it would have changed Peckham’s skyline forever and given 12 per cent affordable housing
Urban Activist article How Local People Prevailed Over a Major Developer in London – in Six Questions
Whatever happens next, SHAPE Coalition will be ready to take up the fight again for the Peckham, Southwark and working class communities everywhere.
Join the next action for SHAPE Coalition
SHAPE / Save OKR morning protest
Outside start of Old Kent Road Area Action Plan Examination in Public
Tuesday 9 June, 9am to 10am @ Southwark Council Offices, 160 Tooley St, SE1 2TZ
The Old Kent Road Area Action Plan does not prioritise council housing or local communities. It is a developers’ charter.