Cressingham Gardens Estate: A Study of Social and Spatial Activism

CONSEQUENCES OF ARCHITECTURE Research Group

How has social and spatial activism affected decisions in architectural planning in the case of Cressingham Gardens Estate?

A study of Regeneration, Activism and Social Injustice

Lemuel Gonzales

CONSEQUENCES OF ARCHITECTURE Research Group

How has social and spatial activism affected decisions in architectural planning in the case of Cressingham Gardens Estate?

A study of Regeneration, Activism and Social Injustice

Lemuel Gonzales

BA (Hons) Architecture (ARB/RIBA Part 1)

Stage 3 Research Thesis

Supervisor: Rob Nice

UCA Canterbury School of Architecture 2022/23

The Abstract

The idea of gentrification and demolition has been a subject that I’ve always found fascinating over the course of my architectural studies. From basing my final second year project on issues concerning housing demolition in Canterbury, to undertaking research on Robin Hood Gardens for my stage two piece of writing, led me to further delve into the consequences of such issues and the repercussions of architectural, social, and spatial injustices. Thus, this thesis aims to shed light on the on-going struggles of everyday people and their homes that are being threatened to be demolished, and more importantly, the consequences of manipulative and poor decision making and the many reasons for them.

Today, the right to the city is an intellectual idea, a campaign slogan, a political ideal and a legislative mechanism which can help to answer the questions of “who is the city for? Is it for teachers, doctors, taxi drivers and families or is it just for wealthy finance professionals and young people prepared to live in micro flats or substandard accommodation?

(Minton, 2017)

In the case of Cressingham Gardens Estate, a social and spatial battle that has been on-going since 2012, locals and residents have actively been fighting to save the estate from Lambeth Council’s proposed decision for regeneration to this day. This piece of writing will attempt to understand and analyse how collective activism in a community have such a crucial role in outcomes of decision-making on the fate of Cressingham Gardens Estate.

The Methodology

Although the subjects and themes that are being explored in this piece of writing can branch out to conversations that are equally as plausible and relevant, it is important that this piece of research stay within the context to the case study of Cressingham Gardens Estate. As a result, I believe using similar case studies and historical and architectural theories for comparisons and for context can provide a significant backbone when discussing the bigger picture of the subject. Research ranging from more objective methods to more direct approaches by speaking to those who have been directly affected by the case, in order to form a conclusion that best supports both sides; to aim to understand the differences and/or similarities between information.

Chapter 01: The Written and The Reviewed

The word ‘Gentrification’ is a term that can loosely be interpreted and perceived in many ways. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of Gentrification is the process in which a poor area (as of a city) experiences an influx of middle-class or wealthy people who renovate and rebuild homes and businesses, which often results in an increase in property values and the displacement of earlier, usually poorer residents.

Currently in London, upon commencing this research, there are 122 social housing estates in the capital that are under-threat to be demolished, with the borough of Tower Hamlets leading with 9 estates heading for removal, and the borough of Lambeth with 8, where Cressingham Gardens Estate is located. Some of which have been given the go-ahead, and some are still awaiting decision (Lawrence, 2022).

Many of these housing estates in the illustration above came about in Britain in the 1980’s, at a time of developing modernist and socialist principles that directly correlates with neo-liberalist idealism and economic culture. Even to this day, those in various national leadership openly discloses their intent of dismantling social housing which was heavily encouraged because of a privatisation scheme (Kelly, 2022). In the 1980’s, there was a revival of interest in the Brutalist architectural style of living often associated with social housing, as well as private sector occupants despite being associated with areas of deprivation at which the media and politicians has played a huge part in that perception of ‘sink estates’ (Minton, 2017).

Fig. 1 Social housing net loss/gain - completed schemes in London (Since 2003, data from London Development Database, July 2020, all schemes on sites with existing social housing demolition, completed schemes only), 2021

THE ‘SINK ESTATE’

The very idea of ‘sink estates’ has been a term that I have encountered quite frequently when discussing and exploring the issue of gentrification and regeneration of social housing. Sink estates are referred to as British Council housing characterized by a high degree of economic and social deprivation. Although there is a strong correlation between crime rates and reduced settlements in metropolitan areas, such settlements are not necessarily areas with high crime rates. Although it has not been officially noted by who and where the definition was first coined, but the most notable use of the term was during one of Tony Blair’s 1998 speech. A year prior, when he was elected as prime minister in 1997, he delivered a speech at Aylesbury Estate in the London Borough of Southwark, promising that “The new homes appearing on this site will be better for those who move in, and what looks like a building site today will become a brand-new landscape for this part of London” (Blair, 1997 cited in Evening Standard, 2010).

However, it was argued that the term was flawed and a misrepresentation of what these so-called ‘sink estates’ actually are. Victoria Pinoncely from The Guardian argues that areas such as Aylesbury Estate in Southwark and Packington Estate in Islington are not ‘sunk’ areas, which takes the term quite literally. They are merely areas that were ‘starved’ and lacked crucial consideration and investments on amenities such as accesses, public spaces, and infrastructure. Therefore, the knock-on effect is what is perceived as social deprivation and lack of maintenance management, for example, are amplified further; especially when estates such as Aylesbury could have been greatly benefitted by revitalisation through public investment. She argued that the word ‘starved’ is a more appropriate term for such areas, as the word ‘sink’ has very negative connotations that suggests social negligence, decline and deterioration (Pinoncely, 2016). To an extent, there are some truths to that; but not to the fault of those living in them. Many of these estates have been legally neglected by their respective local councils without the provision and consideration for repairs and attention when they desperately needed them. These merely became excuses for those in authority to put forward plans for their removal as an easy way out of the issue (Burnside, 2016).

Fig, 2 A photograph of Aylesbury Estate Pre-Demolition, s.d.

Hall, 1980 cited in Cooper et all, 2020

Fig. 3 Margaret Thatcher’s Right-to-Buy Scheme, s.d.

“The ideology of Thatcherism is often seen as the bridge and the social consideration that ultimately separates the struggle between ‘the state’ and ‘the people”

The emergence of these so-called ‘sink estates’ has also been argued to have been influenced by multiple factors over the years. It has been highlighted that the Right-to-Buy scheme implemented by the former British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher in the 1980’s has been noted as a key driving force to said issue. Though the objective of the mandate began with pure intentions at which the term ‘Thatcherism’ was first coined, the goal would then allow a free market approach, but later have resulting repercussions that will have a massive impact on the issue of gentrification (Cooper et all, 2020). “Thatcher drew on classical liberal ideas of individual liberty, tax cuts and the free market, combining them with traditional conservative values of nationalism, self-reliance, patriarchal respectability and ‘law and order” (Hall, 1976 cited in Cooper et all, 2020). The ideology of Thatcherism is often seen as the bridge and the social consideration that ultimately separates the struggle between ‘the state’ and ‘the people’ (Hall, 1980 cited in Cooper et all, 2020).

In the end, the Right-To-Buy scheme, in simpler terms, allowed the people to have freedom in the purchase of their own home, notably those in social housing, without their power being held over them; to stimulate the attitudes of independence and self-reliance that are now the bedrock of a free society. Because people who have had access to social housing at the time, now have the ability to purchase their home; with many simply just moved on after the purchase. Therefore, either selling their properties back to the council or to private landlords or affluent professionals. This exchange of capital and property now means that there are fewer homes that exist in communities where Right to Buy was vigorously pursued (Cooper et al, 2020).

With that said, Anna Minton in her book Big Capital: Who is London For?, argues that the problem has deeper roots that can be traced long before Thatcher’s implementation of the Right to Buy scheme. In 1972, Oscar Newman who is an American architect released a book titled ‘Defensible Space: People and Design in the Violent City’ that discusses the presence of crime in social housing (‘projects’ they are referred to in the United States). His main argument in the book touches on the idea that crime should not be pointed as the culprit to social deprivation. Rather, he argues that there are opportunities that can simply be solved through smart and effective urban planning. His belief was to replace tower blocks and skyscrapers in New York City, with low-rise projects where private spaces, territories and boundaries can easily to distinguished with one another, therefore giving citizens a sense of ownership and individualism.

With these views, Newman’s neoliberal and individualistic perspective gave him traction across the pond when the BBC asked him to undertake a review concerning his philosophies and suggested a visit to Aylesbury Estate in London. Long story short, Newman took part in filming a documentary that regrettably put Aylesbury Estate in such a bad light, suggesting that crime is the reason for such downfall when, at the time, crime rates at Aylesbury Estate were low and bore no resemblance to housing projects that Newman has been studying in the United States. From then on, the estate has been used as propaganda and a symbol for regeneration (Minton, 2017).

This led up to a conversation that politicians alike took interest in. From Margaret Thatcher’s Right-to-Buy scheme to Tony Blair’s attempt at an election agenda from the very beginning. This approach was further encouraged by another former prime minister, David Cameron when he delivered a press release speech in 2016 concerning the issue of regeneration and the building of more homes, particularly in the city of London (Cameron, 2016). His press release instigated a chain of events, that eventually encouraged many regenerations plans to go ahead.

The chain of events through the last fifty years or so that I have briefly outlined in this chapter, have had major impacts on urban planning and the built environment, especially in big cities like London. Whether or not, they have directly impacted the current housing crisis and social issues such as gentrification… that’s another subject that will need further discussions. However, the case of Cressingham Gardens Estate is one of many regeneration stories that have suffered at the hand of poor management, political manipulation and decision-making of those in power.

Fig, 4 Tony Blair’s Speech at Aylesbury Estate, 1997

Chapter 02: The Studied and The Explored

Estate

After undertaking my stage two essay on Robin Hood Gardens, a renowned exemplar of brutalist social housing in Tower Hamlets that has been partially demolished, my topic for this piece of writing and research is influenced by the very idea of the growing importance of urban housing, social activism, and urban planning. Cressingham Gardens Estate has been an on-going conversation that has left many Lambeth residents, as well as the wider community, part of growing concerns of regeneration and this idea of ‘social cleansing’

Before delving deeper into the issue concerning Cressingham Gardens, and to shed some light on London’s wider context, the most recent buzz and advancement in the capital last year is the long-awaited development of Battersea Power Station, not far from the site of Cressingham Gardens in the neighbouring borough of Wandsworth. The development has been seen in two opposing lights. For decades, debate has risen as to what should happen to the power station which has been on-going since it has been decommissioned in 1983. However, as far as the surrounding neighbourhood was concerned, it had ultimately become yet another playground for the rich and wealthy. Neil Pinder, a Professor of Architecture stated that there is a striking contrast can be seen from neighbouring housing estates to the Battersea Power Station development, literally across the road. Also stating that it is only a matter of time until developments on nearby council housing such as Patmore Estate, where he grew up, just a stone throws away from Battersea Power Station will either be demolished, or rent would drastically increase to the point where current tenants of the estate are forced to vacate; All because of the regeneration of Battersea, the area is now seen as ‘highly desirable, high-value sites’. It is feared that the same vision will inevitably spreading to the rest of London (This Old Power Station Is Now a £9BN Luxury District, 2022).

Cressingham Gardens

Not just high quality architecture, but in the existence and nurturing of the public realm, of public architecture and civic design

(Hollamby, s.d.)

To quote Hollamby in his obituary in the Guardian Newspaper, he was a public servant who believed...

Fig. 7 The Communal, Open Space for residents adjacent Brockwell Park, s.d.

Fig. 6 Meeting/Workshop held at the Rotunda at Cressingham Gardens, s.d.

Fig. 5 Aerial View of Cressingham Gardens Estate, s.d.

Fig. 8 Bodley Manor Walk - Designed for a community: Cressingham Gardens front doors face each other, s.d.

Cressingham Gardens Estate is not like any other social housing development that was built at the time of its creation. Located in the South-West side of Brockwell Park in Tulse Hill, the design of the estate by architects Edward Hollamby and Roger Westman was intentionally simple. Compared to tower blocks that dominated the post-war mass housing approach and ideals of the late seventies, the estate is a low-rise development with the intention to avoid blocking views into Brockwell Park (Watson, 2021). The estate was also designed in a way that limited the number of existing trees on site to be taken down; to have a natural, almost seamless transition from the park to the urban environment. The estate comfortably accommodates 306 homes, in a linear arrangement connected by a series of walkways as shown in figure 8. The estate remains as an important model and inspiration in the conversation of the housing crisis (Lowe, 2021).

In the words of renowned author of Municipal Dreams, John Boughton, “Cressingham Gardens Estate is one of the finest council estates in the country’. (Boughton, cited in Wainwright, 2020). Having different families from different backgrounds and cultures, left Cressingham Gardens an incredibly connected and diverse community within itself in South London. Unfortunately, over the years, the estate has been justifiably neglected in terms of its physical conditions and its living standards. Lambeth Council claims that the estate is ‘beyond repair’ at which the proposal for the regeneration scheme for the estate was then put forward in 2012 where the controversy and debate ultimately began. The council claims that they simply don’t have the money to repair and maintain the current state of Cressingham Gardens (Taylor, 2016).

In 2021, Lambeth Council has approved plans to demolish part of the estate after a judicial review specifically a block located at Roper’s Walk that contains a series of four storey complexes initially designed by Conran and Partners. The council has approved the development of 20 new apartment homes that will result in the demolition of 12 existing homes despite having 395 objections and only two that are in favour of the proposed development. (Save Cressingham, 2021). Local residents have expressed their deep concern for the estate quite actively and vocally through the decade-long fight to save the estate. According to the Save Cressingham Word Press, there are multiple concerns and objections that have put forward as a result of the decision that has been made by Lambeth Council and has been accused of ‘salami-slicing’. Salami-slicing, in the context of gentrification, is the process of slowly reducing and demolishing the number of homes; a political tactic to downplay the process until it has taken over the entire estate.

Fig. 9 Cressingham Gardens residents at a demonstration, 2015

According to a 2015 document on the Lambeth Council page, A proposal report presented to the Lambeth Cabinet back in October 2012 called ‘Lambeth Estate Regeneration Programme: Strategic Delivery Approach’ outlining the regeneration scheme for Cressingham Gardens Estate. In a very detailed document, different options for the existing estate were proposed to the residents. The official five options range from simple tasks and solutions such as the replacement of roofs and general repairs of housing blocks being Option 1, to a full-scale demolition of 306 properties on the estate being Option 5. Below are more detailed outlines of the options and how many properties will be demolished, refurbished and the number of new housings as a result of each proposed alternative (Lambeth, 2015).

Option 1: FULL REFURBISHMENT of existing homes to Lambeth Housing Standard

Option 2: Lambeth Housing Standard and new homes through INFILL DEVELOPMENT.

This option would see 19 properties demolished and replaced with 38 new homes; creates 19 additional homes

Option 3: PARTIAL REDEVELOPMENT (with low intervention)

This option would see 31 homes demolished and replaced with 51 new properties; creates 20 additional homes to the estate.

Option 4: PARTIAL REDEVELOPMENT (with higher intervention)

This option would see 120 homes fully demolished and replaced with 193 new homes; a gain of 73 additional homes to Cressingham Gardens

Option 5: COMPLETE DEMOLITION

306 properties demolished which will be replaced with 464 new properties; creates new and an additional 158 properties

The chart above is a published report outcome of all the participant’s objections and support for each option that was presented by the council with the majority objecting to Options 4 and 5 having full/partial demolitions to be done.

The photo above was taken during one of the demonstrations that was organised by citizen of the borough of Lambeth and residents of Cressingham Gardens Estate to try and combat the council’s decision for the estate to be taken down, during a judicial review of Lambeth Cabinet back in 2015.

Fig. 11 Lambeth residents participating in the 2015 Demonstrations, 2015

Chapter 03: The Said and The Personal The Person

The nerves started to kick in just as I got off the bus just across the road from the estate. Although I was prepared and organised myself for the day ahead, I could not help but feel anxious knowing that I am going to undertake a more direct and personal approach to the case study; a completely different perspective, not just relying on the information that I have been gathering through a digital medium or through books. I remember the air being very cold, but the sky was blue and clear; The pavement was wet. The leaves were damp. I did not know what to expect. I did not know where to start, but I walked and walked anyway. As I walked through the East side of the Estate and seeing the west side of Brockwell Park to my right, I looked up, and to my left was a large photograph of a child that faced the park that is hang up on the side of one of the houses as shown in figure #. Confused; then I almost instantly realised the message that was being conveyed.

As I continued walking through the grounds a little further, I started to notice more and more of these portraits that is displayed in different locations of the estate. Then I remembered and recalled something that I have encountered once before; a similar narrative that has been done before at Robin Hood Gardens post-demolition and at Haggerston Estate in Hackney in an attempt to defend and save the estate by putting up portraits of the residents on the boarded-up windows of their respective homes. The photographs, as I came to understand after seeing them in person, were taken by Mark Aitken, a photographer and resident of Cressingham Gardens Estate who named the collection ‘Sanctum Ephemeral’.

The photographs gave those who have see them, indirect, but intimate access to the humanity that lives in those homes (Urban, 2017). As I gathered the confidence and thought of ways to respectfully approach those that live within the estate without being intrusive, I noticed a few dwellings that had flyers and posters that were up in the windowsill of some of the houses with the words ‘Save Cressingham’ written on them; a campaign slogan that have recurring use throughout the decade-long fight. Those posters encouraged me, and eventually decided that homes with those posters would be a good start to the conversation. As I approached one of the houses walking to the front door, a lady has just put the kettle on in her kitchen that was facing the front door as she noticed me; I waved.

The Person: Anne E. Cooper

Fig. 12 A Portrait of Anne E. Cooper, 2022

Fig. 13 Cressingham Gardens Estate Portraits - Sanctum Ephemeral, 2022

Anne, a resident activist of Scarlett Manor Way at Cressingham Gardens Estate who jokingly laughed about just making a turmeric lemon drink as she welcomed me into her home that day. After briefly explaining my intentions to her for paying her and the estate a visit, she said that by visiting the estate in person, even with the aim of simply walking around the estate, I had already done the best thing a person can do to gain a deeper and better understanding of the site; an undertaking that the local council and its members has failed to even consider, while they continuously and obliviously question why the residents of the estate would go to great lengths to save it (Cooper, 2022). This has been a recurring subject that, not only Anne has highlighted throughout the interview, but also through my initial research as to how the people of Cressingham has been seriously misinformed and overlooked when it comes to the involvement in the matter. Anne has lived in the estate for 9 years coming from Stevenage, she made it very clear that, during the process of her moving into the flat that she currently resides in, she was not formally informed as to the plans for the estate prior to her decision to move; not directly from the council anyway. A year before Anne moved in to Cressingham Gardens, Lambeth Council has provided five options or proposals concerning the future of the estate (as mentioned in Chapter 02); for over a decade, there has been a common occurrence that the council seemingly wanted to reassure the residents of the estate that they will take their stances, voices, and decisions into consideration when the council has clearly already made up their minds right from the start. The fact that most of their attempts to involve the people were all just for show and publicity. A view that Anne felt very strongly about (Cooper, 2022).

Anne also expressed her deep concern for what happens when homes in the estate are left empty and derelict, and the many ways that these situations have been taken advantage of by the wrong people. Anne explained to me that when word goes out that there is an empty flat in the estate, either because a family has moved out or a resident has passed away, there have been multiple instances where unwarranted parties have occurred until early morning. On top of that, Anne also expressed her concern for drug use in and around the area, sometimes even on the street that she currently resides in, where certain homes are left unattended and vacant. She believed that it is caused by ‘managed decline’ and emphasised the similarities of what is currently happening to the NHS (Cooper, 2022).

The poor management of these properties have had a serious impact on the standards of living, not only of the houses that has been left derelict, but residents who now have to deal with the repercussions of poor administration and governance. Another recurring subject that residents of Cressingham Gardens constantly bring up is very poor maintenance of the estate. Eileen O’Keefe, a resident of Cressingham Gardens states that there has been very little investment in the area from the beginning. She, and other residents alike, have complained to the council about specific issues such as the wooden windows that were the original windows since the estate’s completion. She highlighted how in the first 15 years; they have only been painted once over rotting wood (O’Keefe, 2016). Also, when they do complain to the

council about such concerns, they don’t get the help and consultation that they require and would often take a while to actually tackle the problem. On top of that, when they do eventually do something about it, the issue is further amplified and is already far worse than before because of the time wasted from waiting (O’Keefe, 2016).

Although it is hard to say and unfair to assume that it is a manipulative, strategic approach to the matter. Whether it is a subconscious ploy or not, it should not be taken lightly. This idea of local authorities’ lack of attention to areas that need it the most, has been a recurring issue when it comes to social housing. From Robin Hood Gardens to Aylesbury Estate, these areas have been subject to scapegoating into the narrative of ‘disrepair’ and ‘crime’; which, in most cases, are far from the actual truth. And it is no surprise that there are similarities to what is currently happing to Cressingham Gardens Estate to this day. Because of multiple instances where their uncertainties of constantly questioning the people that randomly reside in empty homes, Anne, and most of her neighbours, have constantly felt unsafe when these things happen; and rightly so. Anne also explained how it is not necessarily healthy mentally to be flooded with these questions and uncertainly of the future. Not just because of random people that reside near her home, but the fate of the estate as a whole. The mental well-being of being in the estate has definitely declined of the years, due to factors not of their own making whatsoever (Cooper, 2022).

After mentioning Michael, a resident whom I have encountered multiple times through research and watching interviews that I could find online about Cressingham Gardens and the fight; Anne mentioned how he recently just passed away. Michael O’Keefe was a resident who have lived in the estate for more than 40 years and Anne highlighted how he was a big part of the movement. The figure below is a photograph of Mr. O’Keefe taken by Mike Aitken as part of his photographic collection of Cressingham Gardens called ‘Sanctum Ephemeral’. I encountered that photograph after leaving Anne’s home and felt a sudden sadness upon seeing it knowing what I had just found out. With that said, Anne voiced how with people passing away who once lived in the estate, or simply moving on, then creates a double dilemma. As sad it is when someone leaves their home, this then results in another vacant place that wrong people can and will take advantage of like I have mentioned before (Cooper, 2022).

Fig. 14 Michael O’Keefe outside his house at Cressingham Gardens Estate, s.d.

On a slightly positive note, Anne was an absolute pleasure to have had a conversation with. Upon asking her for her personal experiences living in the estate since moving in back in 2013, she reminisced about just how much she loves her current home, her block, and the neighbourhood. Contrary to general stereotypes about council housing and just from walking around the estate,

I felt a deep sense of community and belonging. Almost every single person I encountered has politely smiled or greeted me. Anne mentioned how she left that the idea of not being able to trust your neighbours with your keys when you need someone to quickly go get you some medicine when you are ill for example, are under-threat of being ripped away from them. A melancholy feeling suddenly hit me when Anne disclosed how the home she currently lives in in the estate will very much be her last home, but she reassured me that she meant that in a positive way which further emphasises her deep connection to her home. As a result, the very idea of being uprooted and moved elsewhere saddened Anne. She then spoke to me about how incredibly open the community is, and that she’s always experienced a sense of safety. I have just caught her the day before she flies off on holiday, and she said that before I came, she was about to do her Christmas cards for the neighbourhood and further explain that, not only was she doing it to say thank you, but also because her neighbours can easily tell when a fellow neighbour is out of the house. A stark contrast to where she used to live back in Stevenage, she outlined (Cooper, 2022). Having grown up in the Philippines for my early childhood years, I felt such deep connection to what Anne had told me, about feeling a sense of safety and trust with your neighbours.

We would even go as far as exchanging food across the street and my parents asking close neighbours to look after me and my brother when my parents had plans to go out. These things, in my opinion, are what makes Cressingham Gardens worth saving, along with other estates of a similar nature. It’s not always about the building fabric and the physical building, it is about what people do with the space and homes and community that they have built over time; memories they have made.

Additionally, Anne highlighted just how diverse her street alone was; with an openly gay man called Shaun at the end of the street, a Muslim family and residents with Afro-Caribbean heritage. Some residents, Anne informed me, have lived at Cressingham Gardens since 1978 when the estate was officially opened. Living in the estate for that long most definitely increases the desire to want to stay, especially those who have passed on their homes to their children (Cooper, 2022)

Fig. 15 Anne E. Cooper - A Resident and Activist, 2022

(Cooper, 2022)

There’s very little animosity

Anne is one whose voice speaks for most people who feel, and whose views are parallel to hers, especially her fellow neighbours. She kindly gave me with a book that she has published herself titled “306: Living Under the Shadows of Regeneration”. The book perfectly encapsulates the idea of collective memory and is a testament to the voices of the residents and their tenacity, “despite being driven to contemplate choices not of their own making” (Cooper, 2017).

I have picked out a few lines from the book written by other residents of Cressingham Gardens that, I feel, needs to be heard.

We both saw the estate as our own corner of Paradise

There’s a strong Carribean culture, with other cultures mixed into it

...seeing all the grees spaces and thinking: just lovely.

I’ve always cherished it. People say this is lovely place I can say... YES, IT’S MINE!

(Andy Plant, 2017 cited in Cooper, 2017)

(Stuart Johnston, 2017 cited in Cooper, 2017)

(Maggie May, 2017 cited in Cooper, 2017)

(Sara Omer, 2017 cited in Cooper, 2017)

Fig. 16 Save Cressingham Campaign Demonstrations Poster, 2015

The Conclusion

The case of Cressingham Gardens is the story of one of many regeneration and gentrification stories. This is just one of those cases that are heavily publicised on the news not just because of the scale of the proposed development, but it is because of the people’s fight to save their homes. It is the people, in my opinion and I’m sure many others feel the same way, that makes Cressingham Gardens worth saving. People have grown to love their homes, despite people’s generalised perception of social housing as areas of disrepair, neglect, and crime. This is clearly demonstrated through their activism towards keeping their homes, even those who do not live there. They have grown to appreciate and have developed strong community ties with those living in the estate.

the words of Rob Nice,

As a result, I do believe, wholeheartedly, that the power of people’s on-going beliefs on doing what is right, towards things that they are passionate about does affect the outcomes of such big architectural, social, and political decisions.

And that is exactly what we, as designers and developers should never forget. That is something that I also feel strongly about. In the case of Cressingham Gardens, the council, the developers, and all those involved fail to empathise and forget that there are people who are content at where they live. They have forgotten or have been blinded by their toxic desire of the ‘new’ and the ‘shiny’, especially in this modern, constantly evolving world. All the people of Cressingham needs is a little more consideration to the place they happily call home.

In

“we’re not designing a building for our own gratification, or our own ego… we are designing them for people.”

(Nice, 2022)

Although, there are various case studies that have unfortunately not been successful. One of which is Robin Hood Gardens and Aylesbury Estate, a consequential example of noteworthy architecture for mass housing, where they have been demolished. However, the fight to save them have not gone un-noticed and forgotten. Hence why people, like myself, still aim write about them to raise awareness of such issues, and to learn from the mistakes of the past, and to try and save the homes of people, especially at a time of a crisis in housing.

From what I have learned with my conversation with Anne Cooper and the research that I have carried out, the main recurring factor to such issues inevitably comes back to the incompetence and lack of consideration and empathy of those in authority. Like I have mentioned before, I understand that it is unfair to say just how much of the council’s approach to coming to a conclusion are trying leave people out of the conversation, subconsciously or not, or just a ‘wrong place, wrong time’ situation. With that said, one of the reasons why residents of Cressingham Gardens estate still remain sceptical for example, is because whenever the council organises workshops and meetings to try and end with an understanding with the people, the events are often poorly planned in a way that restricts certain members of the community to be able to actively attend. According to Andy Plant, there are approximately 10% of the residents living at Cressingham Gardens Estate have disabilities, and 10% are senior citizens, which are higher than most council housing estates in the area at the time of his interview. Therefore, it was more difficult for said demographic to attend and access the workshops and meetings that the council often organised. On top of that, these meeting were often held in winter seasons, weekday evenings which, again, reduces the access and ability to attend by some people (Plant, 2016).

In 2015, the people of Lambeth stood alongside residents of Cressingham Gardens through a public demonstration to Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton Town Centre every Saturday from what Anne has informed me. She declared how that was definitely a key turning point for the movement for two very important reasons. One of which was that it raised awareness to what was happening to the estate to other residents in the borough of Lambeth, which eventually caught the attention of the media and spread further afield. And secondly, officials and members of the council came to the realisation that Anne, and those part of the fight meant every single thing they were fighting for. Although Ms. Cooper has virtuously and very honestly expressed her concerns, doubt, and slight regrets for being part of the decision to go ahead with the demonstrations; how the ‘what if’ questions started to flood in as Anne recalls the moment Lambeth council revoked the initial five options that have been proposed after the 2015 demonstrations occurred. She sometimes feels that, if they had not done such an open, public protest, could the council have responded more softly, compared to slightly more forward way of retaliation? (Cooper, 2022).

But one thing is for certain… if that does not clearly demonstrate just how much power and influence, we, the people, have in putting pressure on those at the top to make the right choice, I’m not sure what will. This act of resistance to those in power ultimately changed the course of the decade-long fight for the spatial and social injustices of the system (Sendra, 2018). The deciding fate of Cressingham Gardens has been a tumultuous one, with highs and lows, back and forth along the way. Whether the result is for the better, or not. Only time will tell. But we can hope that all their efforts will never go unnoticed, with hopes of a positive and successful outcome for everyone. Debates and fights to save homes, not just in London, are never guaranteed. But from what I’ve learned in this piece of writing and my piece on Robin Hood Gardens, is that the position of people’s active involvement in these situations does matter and can often alter the course of the case, no matter how small.

In the end, it comes down to the enthusiasm and passion of the people that drives these things to move forward; the pressure that is put in those power to make a difference. Hence why the fight to save Cressingham Gardens Estate has now been a decade-long battle since 2012, and to this day, the people continue to fight for the place they call

Don’t stay in the dark, come out and fight. Don’t despair, there is always light...

No one can destroy us entirely...

Be optimistic, be bold and walk in the light together.

(Eileen O’Keefe, 2017 cited in Cooper, 2017)

Fig. 17 2015 Cressingham Gardens Demonstrations in Brixton, 2015

Bibliography

Architects for Social Housing At: https://www.architectsforsocialhousing-design.co.uk (Accessed 28/10/2022)

Architectuul. (s.d.) Cressingham Gardens At: https://architectuul.com/architecture/cressingham-gardens (Accessed 28/10/2022)

Burnside, H. (2016) What is a Sink Estate? At: https://heatherburnside.com/2016/05/06/whatis-a-sink-estate/ (Accessed 22/12/2022)

Watson, C. (2021) Active Citizenship and Local Governance in the Case of Cressingham Gardens: Agonism or Antagonism? Housing, Theory and Society, 38:4, 476-495, DOI: 10.1080/14036096.2020.1813804 (Accessed 28/10/2022)

Cooper, A.E., Hubbard, P. & Lees, L. (2020) Sold Out? ‘The Right-to-buy, gentrification and working-displacement in London’. In The Sociological Review 68 (6) pp. At: https://doi. org/10.1177/0038026120906790 (Accessed 23/12/2022)

Cooper, A. (2017) 306: Living Under the Shadows of Regeneration. London: Devotion Press

Cooper, A. (2022) In-person Interview with Anne. 21/12/2022 (See Appendix)

Douglas, P. & Parkes, J. (2016) ‘Regeneration’ and ‘consultation’ at a Lambeth council estate, City, 20:2, 287-291, DOI: 10.1080/13604813.2016.1143683 (Accessed 28/10/2022)

Evening Standard (2010) Demolition begins on Tony Blair’s ‘forgotten’ estate In: The Evening Standard. 21/09/2010 At: https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/demolition-begins-on-tony-blair-s-forgotten-estate-6515819.html (Accessed 22/12/2022)

Kelly, K. (2022) ‘The full list of the 122 London housing estates that could be demolished’ In: My London News 01/11/2022. At: https://www.mylondon.news/news/full-list-122-londoncouncil-24824694 (Accessed 01/11/2022)

Lawrence, I. (2022) ‘These 122 council estates in London might be demolished’ In: Time Out 19/08/2022 At: https://www.timeout.com/london/news/these-122-council-estates-in-londonmight-be-demolished-082422 (Accessed 21/12/2022)

Lambeth Council (2015) At: https://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/documents/s80091/Appendix%20L%20-%20Consultation%20on%20the%20future%20of%20the%20estate.pdf (Accessed 12/12/2022)

Lowe, T. (2021) Lambeth set to approve demolition of first part of historic estate At: https:// www.bdonline.co.uk/news/lambeth-set-to-approve-demolition-of-first-part-of-historic-estate/5110164.article (Accessed 22/12/2022)

Minton, A. (2017) Big Capital: Who Is London For?. London: Penguin Random House

Minton, A., Pace, M., & Williams, H. (2016) The housing crisis, City, 20:2, 256-270, DOI: 10.1080/13604813.2016.1143687 (Accessed 28/10/2022)

Pablo Sendra (2018) Assemblages for community-led social housing regeneration, City, 22:56, 738-762, DOI: 10.1080/13604813.2018.1549841 (Accessed 28/10/2022)

Plant, A. (2019) Save Cressingham Gardens: Outrage as Labour Council agrees Demolition. At: https://youtu.be/_c65sqkcWQM (Accessed 09/01/2023)

Rob Nice: Experiencing Architecture (s.d.) [Online Talk] At: https://university.springpod.com/ subject-spotlight-episodes/1-preconceptions-and-misconceptions (Accessed 09/01/2023)

Taylor, N. (2016) Save Cressingham Gardens! Hands off our homes! At: https://www.socialist. net/save-cressingham-gardens-hands-off-our-homes.htm (Accessed 11/12/2022)

Twomey, J. (2022) ‘Judge to rule on whether Lambeth estate regeneration is lawful’ In: London News Online 06/08/2022 At: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/judge-to-rule-on-whether-lambeth-estate-regeneration-is-lawful/ (Accessed 28/10/2022)

Urban, M (2017) ‘Cressingham Gardens – a photographic walk around the threatened estate, south London’ In: The Brixton Buzz. 19/09/2017. At: https://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2017/09/ cressingham-gardens-a-photographic-walk-around-the-threatened-estate-south-london/ (Accessed 09/01/2023)

List of Illustrations

Cover Image, (2015) Save Cressingham Gardens – Activists on Hardel Walk [Photograph] At: https://www.facebook.com/SaveCressinghamGardens/photos /a.476566179031401/975051569182857/ (Accessed 01/12/2022)

Fig. 1 Berry, S. (2021) Social housing net loss/gain - completed schemes in London (Since 2003, data from London Development Database, July 2020, all schemes on sites with existing social housing demolition, completed schemes only) [Diagram/Chart] At: https://www.london. gov.uk/sites/default/files/2021_01_estate_redevelopment_in_london_data_sian_berry_am.pdf (Accessed 01/11/2022)

Fig. 2 Municipal Dreams (s.d.) A photograph of Aylesbury Estate [Photograph] At: https://municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2014/01/14/the-aylesbury-estate-southwark-state-led-gentrification/ (Accessed 01/11/2022)

Fig. 3 Financial Times (s.d.) Illustration of Margaret Thatcher’s Right-to-Buy Scheme [Photograph] At: https://www.ft.com/content/2e2c1eda-9c6f-4dfc-a79c-5186b1d423ad (Accessed 12/12/2022)

Fig. 4 Rousseau, S. (1997) Tony Blair’s Speech at Aylesbury Estate [Photograph] At: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/jun/02/policeman-aylesbury-estate-tony-blair-thats-me-picture (Accessed 10/01/2023)

Fig. 5 Architect’s Journal (s.d.) Aerial View of Cressingham Gardens Estate [Photograph] At: https://cdn.rt.emap.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/07/18033805/CressinghamAerialShot.jpg (Accessed 10/01/2023)

Fig. 6 Open House Festival (s.d.) Meeting/Workshop held at the Rotunda at Cressingham Garden. [Photograph] At: https://d25hwkr75zzfa.cloudfront.net/store/photo/large/building_6047_ img_1422_aedd378a2303054b487b06b30b6801bf.JPG (Accessed 10/01/2023)

Fig. 7 Open House Festival (s.d.) The Communal, Open Space for residents adjacent Brockwell Park. [Photograph] At: https://d25hwkr75zzfa.cloudfront.net/store/photo/large/building_6047_cressinghamgardenstour-3_highres_b18d38fad12ffe3e7c9b2a3e75f86a0e.jpg (Accessed 10/01/2023)

Fig. 8 Brixton Blog (2022) Bodley Manor Walk - Designed for a community: Cressingham Gardens front doors face each other [Photograph] At: https://brixtonblog.com/2022/10/cressingham-gardens-plan-reckless-say-architecture-awards/ (Accessed 10/01/2023)

Fig. 9 Mellish, S. (2015) Cressingham Gardens residents at a demonstration. [Photograph] At: https://www.theguardian.com/housing-network/2015/nov/30/lambeth-council-demolish-homes-illegal-cressingham-gardens-high-court (Accessed 10/01/2023)

Fig. 10 Lambeth Council (s.d.) Indication of Support for the Options. [Graph] (Accessed 23/12/2022)

Fig. 11 Brixton Buzz (2015) Lambeth residents participating in the 2015 Demonstrations. [Photograph] At: https://i0.wp.com/www.brixtonbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cressingham-1.jpg?w=735&ssl=1 (Accessed 10/01/2023)

Fig. 12 Gonzales, L. (2022) A Portrait of Anne E. Cooper [Photograph] In possession of the author: Canterbury

Fig. 13 Gonzales, L. (2022) Cressingham Gardens – Sanctum Ephemeral [Photograph] In possession of the author: Canterbury

Fig. 14 Firth, R. (s.d.) Michael O’Keefe outside his house at Cressingham Gardens Estate. [Photograph] At: https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/families-south-london-estate-fear-22931215 (Accessed 10/01/2023)

Fig. 15 Gonzales, L. (2022) Anne E. Cooper – A resident and activist. [Photograph] In possession of the author: Canterbury

Fig, 17 Save Britain’s Heritage (2015) 2015 Cressingham Gardens Demonstrations in Brixton. [Photograph] At: https://www.savebritainsheritage.org/campaigns/item/691/PRESS-RELEASESAVE-and-C20-call-for-urgent-protection-of-historic-south-London-garden-estate (Accessed 10/01/2023)

Appendices

Cooper, A. (2022) In-person interview with Cooper, Anne. 21/12/2022 [Transcript]

Lemuel: I was just looking because I started the case study for Cressingham and became very interested in it, so I thought I’d focus it even more and visit in person.

Anne: I think you’ve done the best thing you could possibly do which is to walk around. It’s something that the council, you know, counsellors and people of all different levels… they just don’t do that and then they wonder why we want to save it. And it frustrates the hell out of me that they don’t do that because if they did, they might have a slightly different take on it all.

Lemuel: I was actually really nervous to knock on people’s doors because I didn’t want to be too intrusive, but when I was walking around, and I saw your sign on the window and thought you might be a good start [referring to the sign “Save Cressingham” poster]

Anne: I mean… I was gonna that I might be biased because I’m one of the activists, but the fact of it is, even way beyond the people who are actually actively doing stuff, the vast majority of people that live here do not want demolition. And that’s what we’re looking at. I mean how do you know?

Lemuel: I mean I’ve done some research and found out that’s been almost a decade long fight now. But I believe there initially was five different options that the council has proposed back in 2013?

Anne: Yeah, you’re right. But that was kind of swept off the table because what happened there was, they gave us these five options. One of them was complete refurbishment and the other end was complete demolition and there were three in the middle. And before we even got the chance to vote, they said ‘actually we’re gonna go with complete demolition’. So that was one of the pivotal moments, and it showed very clearly that they weren’t interested in listening to us.

Lemuel: They did, sort of, organise a workshop initially didn’t they, but that was support didn’t go to plan?

Anne: Well, they started it off with an exhibition saying ‘this is how your new estate could look like’ … Architectural drawings, the big stuff. And then there was a number of meetings where they were put on the spot as to ‘what does this really mean?’. And then they started a consultation program which I can give you something to take away that talks a little bit about the nature of that consultation and it’s pretty pretty horrendous actually. So, in this little book that we made on the estate… the first chapter of that, if you can call it a chapter, is about the consultation process and how shoddy it was. I mean all the way along, it’s been ‘we won’t do anything that you don’t agree with’ and all the way along ‘we’ve made our minds up. This is what we’re doing’. So, we’ve been fighting for 10 years for a ballot. And to bring it right up to date and then you can ask me other things in between, have you heard of Lord Kerslake?

Lemuel: I have not no.

Anne: Well, I mean, it was all kind of ‘who’s this? What’s going on?’. But someone called Lord Kerslake was invited to do a review into Lambeth Housing Provision. It was recognised that there were problems, so he was invited to this review and make recommendations. And one of the things that, word on the street, is that ‘they’re trying to get rid of Homes for Lambeth’ and because that was a company so that it could borrow money, basically works as a developer and has been really failing in many ways. The amount of money they’ve spent on tiny amounts of social housing that they’ve actually produced. Anyway, the result of that, there was a cabinet meeting about two weeks ago where the current cabinet were all like ‘thank you for doing this for us? We really want to hear your recommendations’ and then he spoke, and he was brilliant, and he was very critical of the council and Homes for Lambeth, and he was brilliant really… He went around the borough talking to people and they accepted all the recommendations. And then, as if the whole meeting changed. Him and his team left, and it was like gloves are off you know. There was a couple of nonlabour council who, I think, misguidedly went in way too hard about what a disgrace Homes of Lambeth was, which it is. And I think that got the back up of everyone and when the residents were invited to speak, there was a similar type of mood and quite understandably because we’ve had years of this. It was like they seem to switch from ‘well we accept all this recommendation and accept that we’ve done things wrong’ and then they went into defensive mode, into quoting statistics which probably aren’t even true. And the upshot of it all, as far as Cressingham’s concerned was they said the recommendations said that ‘there will be a ballot, and it will a ‘yes/no’ ballot, but do you want refurbishment’ or, as they called it, renovation. They don’t call it demolition. So, they have actually said that so that will be on some minutes somewhere. But the reason myself, and many other people, are still so cynical is because they’ve been going for this one block…

Lemuel: The one by Roper’s Walk, isn’t it? I’ve sort of read about it…

Anne: …yeah. and the thing is they haven’t drawn back on that, and our argument is that it’s part of the estate. If you’re giving Cressingham a ballot, that includes Roper’s Walk. And they came up with this new bit of jargon which was it’s a ‘site-specific development’ so something like that, and you’re just like ‘no no no. you’ve just made this new thing up!’. And the thing that’s on the back of my mind is, not just me, if they can do that then surely, they can grab another block and call that ‘site-specific development’ and so, they can delay the ballot while they’re just going for this block, that block until we’re living on a building site basically. So that’s the most recent thing, that’s about as precise as I can put it.

Lemuel: That’s very helpful actually because there’s not much written on recent development online, but I’ve read stuff about what’s happened before. So, one of the reasons why I wanted to come was to see what people are up to, their views on current development.

Anne: Yes, I mean, it did go very quiet for a number of years. There was some sense of statis on their side but what hasn’t ceased, if you like, is if that someone in a flat dies, or moves off, that place is not put on the bidding scheme for a homeless family to move into. So, there’s two things that seem to happen, so it’s left empty completely, just left ignored. Or they move in a temporary family. So, the temporary family have little to no rights really, they can have a few weeks’ licence and can be kicked out at a week’s notice. What’s really the problem is being surrounded by loads of empty properties.

Lemuel: Is that the case at the moment?

Anne: Yeah, for sure. And the problem think is that other people walk around, and the word goes out on the street that there are loads of empty homes in Cressingham and the people that are taking advantage of them are not very nice people. There are people that have had these parties that started at 10 at night and when on until 4 in the morning or 12 the next day. So, you’ve got that kind of thing going on which is out of order. And the idea of doing this, I wouldn’t dream of going to a squat party on an estate?! When you’ve got people next door that have got work the next day, and obviously drugs, and I think that was happening about two doors down and I think we’ve sorted that out. Stuff going on in there, which is really unsafe. So, what you’re got, it’s a bit like what’s happening to the NHS in a sense of manage decline. It’s the decline of the standards of properties but it’s also a decline of quality of living for residents that are still here in a very real sense. People are worried. ‘Is that one empty? Is anyone up there?’…

Lemuel: There’s a sense of uncertainty isn’t there? Always questioning what’s happening next door because there’s no one there…

Anne: Yeah, we’ve had that uncertainty for, like you said, a decade. But now you’ve got this other level of it. ‘Who’s moved into that place.’ Even though we’ve had this glimmer of hope with Lord Kerslake, we’re still feeling that the council could pull a fast one really. You just don’t know what they’re gonna do or overturn that decision. So, it’s kind of like being a bit hypervigilant, and anxious, and depressed you know… All these things that can happen to the human mind that are not good. For mental health, it’s a terrible situation! What I would say is worse for people who have never had mental health problems, I’m bipolar myself so I know when my mind is going a little bit and I recognise it. But for people who have never experienced these things, they identify with their thinking which is very negative and anxious and that other stuff. And, to me, it’s a crime to do this to people.

Lemuel: Do you feel that that is, sort of, another tactic or way for people to get into people’s heads?

Anne: I mean I do think that some of it is their own incompetence, and their incompetence produces delays. I don’t know how much of it is a conscious strategy and it’s impossible to know.

Lemuel: Is there a way to get in touch with Lord Kerslake? Because I have messaged @ SaveCressingham but they haven’t responded so I understand.

Anne: I’m getting this out (referring to her iPad) because I remember tweeting to Lord Kerslake at some point and I remember that it was quite hard to actually find out.

Lemuel: Also, what struck me the most while walking around the estate was the photographs on the side of the walls on some houses. Because last year, during my second year in architecture, I did another case study on social housing. I don’t know if you know it… Robin Hood Gardens?

Anne: I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know it? I’ve never been up there, but I’ve met people up there but never actually been.

Lemuel: Yeah, so that was another example that was demolished and the level of activism that has gone into saving it.

Anne: Yeah, I heard it wasn’t nice.

Lemuel: Unfortunately, they’ve demolished it, but they did a similar thing of taking portraits of the residents, so I thought, from doing it last year…

Anne: I think, Mark Akin, they did those, and I think he might have got the idea from Robin Hood Gardens, and he fundraised to cover the cost of it all. And they came up the same years that book came out [referring to the book she wrote which she gave me]. And at that stage, there were high levels of stuff happening but has gone down a bit. I think he wanted to picture people in the ‘in-between’ state, so it’s got that funny name ‘sanctum homes’ and the ‘ephemeral’.

Lemuel: Yeah, that’s what I sort of did for one of my project last year as well. I attempted to go around a neighbourhood and asked people if I could take photographs of them in their homes that humanises the buildings, because I believe, the council and people in power for example, only sees them as numbers and statistics on a piece of paper.

Anne: Yeah, I think you’re right! It feels like a little bit like being a chess piece as well. Not really thinking about the impact it might have if you’re suddenly not living next door to someone who use to have your keys and went to the chemist when you’re ill or vice versa. It’s that, that we feel, is being ripped away.

Lemuel: That’s what I wanted to ask you more about actually… how much does it actually mean to you? How long have you lived here and stuff like that?

Anne: Well, I’m kind of a newbie. I moved in 9 years ago, just a year after this all started. All this stuff. Of course, the council didn’t tell me, they didn’t say ‘here you go Anne, here a flat but we actually have a plan to take it down’. So, I’ve been here 9 years. I mean I did hear about it in the summer when I was waiting for the place, and they did it up quite nicely actually. But when I moved in, I thought this is gonna be my last home. That was my thought. I know that sounds quite negative, but I mean it in a really positive way, that this is the last home that I’m gonna move to. So, for me it’s devastating the idea of being uprooted, possibly twice because in the beginning they were talking about how we’d knock one block down and we’d move everyone from that block to that block.’ The idea of being moved back and forth…

Lemuel: I guess that goes back to what you said about being a chess piece in a game doesn’t it?

Anne: Yeah, exactly! And I love my home! I really love my home. And I love this block and I’ve gotten quite close to some of the neighbours. I’d say I probably know most of them by name, even if we’re chummy if you like. So there’s this incredible sense of safety you know. And it’s like I’m off tomorrow, and I got my christmas cards for the block to do and I was just thinking just to say, you know, ‘I’m away on Wednesday for a week’. Because if I don’t do that, they notice that you’re not there, and obviously the last thing I want is for them to be kicking my door down and think ‘is she lying on the floor unconscious?’. Because they do actually notice when you’re out! But that’s great that they notice that you’re out so it’s like ‘where’s Anne?’ Kind of thing you know.

The only time I had an experience like this as a kid basically, living in Stevenage which was a new town at the time; it was all council. And our street living in Stevenage was about eh size of this block actually. And people would come and knock on your door and say “I’ve made some stew, would you like some” or “I got this cheap bit of brisket down the butchers so if you wanna get some too, you better get down there in a hurry”. So the book I wrote that contains ten or so pieces, and got other residents to write. And you know, I’ve made that comparison, and I was thinking that’s probably why I feel so at home because it’s like going back to the seventies when everyone pretty much goes on about how awful the seventies was, bloody awful as it is now. People were skimped, but they weren’t going to food banks. And people looked in on each other. It was probably more gossipy than this place is and it was less diverse, I mean it was a white town you know. It was built in ’47. At that time, people were moved up from London mostly, so yeah it was different in that respect. Whereas this place is really diverse. Yeah, it’s great!

In one block, in my block… Shaun at the end, who’s very openly gay and we have a muslim family, people from Jamaica and Barbados, and it’s all in on block! There’s very little animosity.

Lemuel: That’s what I wanted to further explore actually… the community. To be able to talk to some of them as well. That’s another question I wanted to ask you actually, if you know anyone who might be willing to have a conversation with.

Anne: I mean I probably do, but the chances of me actually doing anything about it today… What I could do is take some contact details from you. There’s a few people around here who have been here a lot longer than me, and there’s a few, like Connell down then road… although I don’t think he’s been here that long. You know some people have been since the place was built. Many of them moved in in ’78, so you know they don’t want to move.

Lemuel: And I have been watching videos of YouTube actually, and everywhere else, articles of what people have been saying on Twitter and stuff as well. And there’s this one person, I cant remember his name full name but it struck me. I saw his interview, I think his name was Michael?

Anne: Yeah. Michael’s passed away unfortunately. White guy with very short hair. Sadly, he didn’t make it. I didn’t know him terribly well and I think it might have been cancer. But it’s good that that’s out there because he was a very big part of the movement per say.

There’s quite a few residents who have passed away recently. Very little of it has been COVID, it’s just people getting old you know. Getting old and ill. But then there’s that double tragedy you know. I know it sounds awful but they’ve gone, and now there’s another empty flat.

Lemuel: It’s all just a big question mark, isnt it? So, my essay is trying to focus on how what you’ve done for the past decade or so, the activism that has gone towards it, how that is affecting the decisions of the council which is great actually, because it does.

Anne: I’ll show you something actually, because right in the beginning, Gerlinde created this and you might want to take a picture and this was the vision of the campaign to have this many hand if you like, and addition to that we’ve had a book, we’ve had benefit concerts, we’ve had Mark’s photos and artistic elements coming in aswell. And I think that’s why we’re still here, and a lot of people in London are. I mean we’ve been to many housing conferences and how we’re doing stuff here and not like keeping it to ourselves you know. But you know, it is a good model to have these hands. And I think there was a turning point aswell, around 2015 was when we started marching around town hall every Saturday. So that made a difference. It really made a difference because A. people across the borough got to realise there something going on largely behind close doors. And secondly, it made the council realise that we were serious about this.

I mean there’s always a part of me that says, if you do that, the other side pushes back; which they did because they took our options off the table. Would they have done that if there hadn’t been a campaign I don’t know, but what it showed was what they were really like you know. I mean these are things that I wonder you know. If we hadn’t had such a militant kind of campaign, would they have gone more softly with us. You know, their aims it was quite clear that they just want Cressingham Gardens levelled. And that’s not in the interest of, not just people here, but people in surrounding streets that support us. It’s not in the interest of the environment. So there’s another little arm to that five which is environment and ecology. So we’ve also been getting to know what lives here. We did a tree walk and everything.

RESEARCH THESIS

Research Focus: How has social and spatial activism affected demolition decisions and architectural planning in the case of Cressingham Gardens Estate?

An Exploration of Gentrification, Activism and Social Justice

IMPORTANT: All the information that is obtained in this interview is for EDUCATIONAL / PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES ONLY (this will not be published publicly; it is specifically for this thesis that will remain within the University for the Creative Arts’ records)

ENQUIRY/INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Interviewee name/age:

2. How long have you lived in the estate?

3. Do you enjoy living here? Do you value and enjoy the community here?

As you probably know, the first regeneration and demolition plans for the estate was proposed back in 2012/2013, and the fight to save the estate is still on-going to this day.

4. How do you feel about the proposed development here at Cressingham Gardens?

- Do you agree or disagree?

- What do you think should the council be aiming to do instead?

Back in October, the C20 Society, an organisation that campaigns to save Britain’s architectural and design heritage, convinced judges of the Architecture Today Awards just how beautiful and culturally relevant Cressingham Gardens Estate is. Stating that the community has really made it their home Just to sweep it away would be reckless.”

5. How much does Cressingham mean to you personally?

- Do you have personal stories about living here? Anecdotes, special memories?

6. Do you know anyone that has had a very strong relationship to the estate or has been deeply affected by the proposed development of the area?

Since 2012, there has been an incredible and overwhelming amount of community support and activism that has happened throughout the fight for Cressingham for over a decade now…

7. Is there anything you would like to say, especially to those imposing these plans, to know?

INTERVIEWER:

Lemuel Gonzales

Stage 3

Architecture Student

Canterbury School of Architecture | UCA 1806430@students.ucreative.ac.uk

Cressingham Gardens Estate

CONSEQUENCES OF ARCHITECTURE Research Group

BA (Hons) Architecture (ARB/RIBA Part 1) Stage 3 Research Thesis

Author: Lemuel Gonzales

Supervisor: Rob Nice

UCA Canterbury, 2022/23

University for the Creative Arts

Canterbury School of Architecture

New Dover Road

Canterbury

Kent CT1 3AN

United Kingdom

uca.ac.uk

cantarch.org