Residents of the Lesnes estate in Thamesmead, south-east London, made famous by Stanley Kubrick’s dystopian film A Clockwork Orange, are fighting back against plans to demolish their homes. Peabody, a major provider of social housing, is seeking permission from London Mayor Sadiq Khan to tear down the estate and replace it with a larger development, citing the need for more housing and the deteriorating condition of the existing buildings.
However, residents are pushing back, arguing that the proposed replacement scheme would be unaffordable and unnecessary. They have enlisted housing activists to occupy vacant flats in protest and have covered the walls with slogans demanding “Housing for need not greed” and “Take profit out of housing.”
The clash between residents and Peabody is just one example of a larger trend in the UK, where many social housing properties built in the post-war era are reaching the end of their useful lives. With a shortage of funding for regeneration projects, landlords are increasingly turning to demolition as a solution, leaving many residents facing homelessness and uncertainty.
The Lesnes estate, part of the larger Thamesmead township designed in the 1960s as a utopian vision of urban living, is now at the center of this struggle. Residents like Marina Ivanova, Johnell Olabhie, and Rose Asenguah are fighting to save their homes and preserve the community they have known for decades.
As the debate continues, the future of the Lesnes estate hangs in the balance, with residents and housing activists determined to resist the tide of demolition and gentrification sweeping through their neighborhood. The outcome of this battle will not only impact the lives of those directly affected but also raise important questions about the future of social housing in the UK.