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Earls Court: Eric Pickles bulldozes 'big society' Earls Court: Eric Pickles bulldozes 'big society'
(5 months later)
Any tattered vestige of hope that David Cameron's promise to build a "big society" was something more than a tissue of spin can be fed to the shredder following last week's decision by his communities secretary Eric Pickles to approve Tory borough Hammersmith and Fulham's desire to sell off land containing 760 homes to property developer Capital and Counties (Capco) for demolition.Any tattered vestige of hope that David Cameron's promise to build a "big society" was something more than a tissue of spin can be fed to the shredder following last week's decision by his communities secretary Eric Pickles to approve Tory borough Hammersmith and Fulham's desire to sell off land containing 760 homes to property developer Capital and Counties (Capco) for demolition.
The vast majority of the community living in those homes do not wish them destroyed. Their elected representatives want to take ownership of the two estates that the homes form and run them through a community-led housing association under powers that, more than two years ago, Pickles's department said it would provide but has so far failed to.
Cameron now looks more like the premier for belittling society and Pickles the minister for bulldozing communities.		The vast majority of the community living in those homes do not wish them destroyed. Their elected representatives want to take ownership of the two estates that the homes form and run them through a community-led housing association under powers that, more than two years ago, Pickles's department said it would provide but has so far failed to.
Cameron now looks more like the premier for belittling society and Pickles the minister for bulldozing communities.
The decision has been welcomed by Hammersmith and Fulham as another step towards, quite literally, clearing the ground for Capco's proposed Earls Court project, a massive, £8b redevelopment scheme based on a masterplan by Sir Terry Farrell (encompassing Kensington and Chelsea too), which would also see the destruction of the Earls Court exhibition centre and the relocation of Transport for London's Lillie Bridge Road Underground train maintenance depot.The decision has been welcomed by Hammersmith and Fulham as another step towards, quite literally, clearing the ground for Capco's proposed Earls Court project, a massive, £8b redevelopment scheme based on a masterplan by Sir Terry Farrell (encompassing Kensington and Chelsea too), which would also see the destruction of the Earls Court exhibition centre and the relocation of Transport for London's Lillie Bridge Road Underground train maintenance depot.
In a joint statement the council's leader Nick Botterill and Capco's investment director Gary Yardley repeated a long-familiar assertion that every estate resident, "will be re-housed in the area if they wish to remain," although local MP Andy Slaughter has challenged the worth of this "guarantee" and resistance to the scheme continues on several fronts.In a joint statement the council's leader Nick Botterill and Capco's investment director Gary Yardley repeated a long-familiar assertion that every estate resident, "will be re-housed in the area if they wish to remain," although local MP Andy Slaughter has challenged the worth of this "guarantee" and resistance to the scheme continues on several fronts.
Tomorrow (Tuesday 23 April), an application will be made to the high court seeking a judicial review of the council's decision to sell the estates' land. A hearing, scheduled for later this year, has already been granted for a challenge to another aspect of the council's procedures.Tomorrow (Tuesday 23 April), an application will be made to the high court seeking a judicial review of the council's decision to sell the estates' land. A hearing, scheduled for later this year, has already been granted for a challenge to another aspect of the council's procedures.
Two weeks ago, residents opposed to demolition delivered a petition to the key interested parties, Pickles, TfL, Capco, and the world's biggest public relations firm Edelman, which is making Capco's case for the scheme. Meanwhile, the events industry continues to campaign for the exhibition centre to be saved, arguing that it is vital to London's economy.Two weeks ago, residents opposed to demolition delivered a petition to the key interested parties, Pickles, TfL, Capco, and the world's biggest public relations firm Edelman, which is making Capco's case for the scheme. Meanwhile, the events industry continues to campaign for the exhibition centre to be saved, arguing that it is vital to London's economy.
This already-protracted battle focuses vividly vital questions about regeneration policy in London as the capital anticipates a continuing population surge, with demand for housing, jobs and transport capacity soaring as a result. The Earls Court project's backers say that the scheme will eventually produce 7,500 dwellings and create 12,000 new jobs, while its critics, sceptical of these claims, insist that the social and economic cost to local people and businesses would be far too high to justify any longer term gains.This already-protracted battle focuses vividly vital questions about regeneration policy in London as the capital anticipates a continuing population surge, with demand for housing, jobs and transport capacity soaring as a result. The Earls Court project's backers say that the scheme will eventually produce 7,500 dwellings and create 12,000 new jobs, while its critics, sceptical of these claims, insist that the social and economic cost to local people and businesses would be far too high to justify any longer term gains.
At the heart of this struggle lies a problem of trust. While the council and Capco protest that they have the interests of local residents firmly at heart, the confidence of the bulk of those residents whose lives would be most disrupted by the Earls Court scheme has been lost, not least after it emerged that Hammersmith and Fulham was more interested in touting the land their homes stand on for sale than in helping them to take control of their own futures, in line with the case for localism.At the heart of this struggle lies a problem of trust. While the council and Capco protest that they have the interests of local residents firmly at heart, the confidence of the bulk of those residents whose lives would be most disrupted by the Earls Court scheme has been lost, not least after it emerged that Hammersmith and Fulham was more interested in touting the land their homes stand on for sale than in helping them to take control of their own futures, in line with the case for localism.
Among politicians, the scheme's most passionate advocate has been Stephen Greenhalgh, now the head of Boris Johnson's office for policing and crime but previously Hammersmith and Fulham's leader. Greenhalgh has evangelised for localism in the past, but he lobbied fellow Tories in government to water down those long-awaited powers to let communities like the ones of West Kensington and Gibbs Green to own and manage their own homes and neighbourhoods.Among politicians, the scheme's most passionate advocate has been Stephen Greenhalgh, now the head of Boris Johnson's office for policing and crime but previously Hammersmith and Fulham's leader. Greenhalgh has evangelised for localism in the past, but he lobbied fellow Tories in government to water down those long-awaited powers to let communities like the ones of West Kensington and Gibbs Green to own and manage their own homes and neighbourhoods.
Johnson is expected to add his formal approval for the Earls Court project plans in due course. In doing so, he will further confirm that his vision for London's future, like that of David Cameron for Britain, is one that puts the powerful first and the weakest last. This cannot be the right way for our city to grow.Johnson is expected to add his formal approval for the Earls Court project plans in due course. In doing so, he will further confirm that his vision for London's future, like that of David Cameron for Britain, is one that puts the powerful first and the weakest last. This cannot be the right way for our city to grow.
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