Comedians James Acaster and Nish Kumar have helped raise almost £42,000 as part of a local campaign to fight the redevelopment of a Peckham shopping centre into nearly 900 homes.
The two comics both performed in Peckham Levels earlier this month for the campaign, which aims to raise £50,000 in order to pay a barrister to represent the objection of locals during a hearing.
Locals are objecting to the planned redevelopment of the Aylesham shopping centre, submitted by Berkeley Homes last year, Southwark News reports.
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The redevelopment would see 867 homes built on the site. Initially, the developer had pledged to make 35% of the homes on the site affordable, the minimum required by Southwark council’s planning laws. But there was anger from local residents when this proportion was slashed to just 12% in December.
In May this year, Berkeley then announced they would be bypassing the council’s planning committee and heading straight to the government’s Planning Inspectorate for approval.
Local Labour councillors and MP Miatta Fahnbulleh have also objected to the development, urging Berkeley to revise their planning application.
Meanwhile, Cllr Helen Dennis, Southwark’s Cabinet Member for New Homes, said the development would “fail to deliver sufficient public benefits to outweigh the heritage harm to the character and appearance of the Rye Lane Peckham Conservation Area.”
The crowdfunder from locals accuses Berkeley Homes of “threatening to destroy the heart of Peckham and its community by demolishing the Aylesham Centre.”
it continues: “Peckham is one of the most diverse parts of London; a traditional working class area which has provided opportunities for people from all over the world to make a home and earn a living for themselves.
“Thousands of residents have posted their objections to Berkeley’s proposal – articulate, passionate and angry views from across the generations.
“They all agree! Berkeley’s Aylesham development is too big, too tall and does not give Peckham the affordable housing it needs.
“In the 16 densely packed blocks up to 20 stories high, just 50 of the 867 new homes are allocated as social housing.”
It adds: “The flats Berkeley want to build will do nothing for families in inadequate housing or on the council waiting list, nothing for local young people who want to stay here, nothing for the local traders who make a living here, and nothing for the people who have their roots here.”
The Planning Inspectorate hearing is scheduled to take place in the final week of October.