Malcolm Cadman
24th May 2004 Ref : London Borough of Lewisham - CPO 2004 - Pepys Estate
Dear Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State,
I ask that a Public Enquiry be held to fairly consider my objection.
I have been a Secure Council Tenant, Leaseholder, at the property - 47
Marlowe House - for over 27 years.
The latter 25 of those years as the Secure Tenant.
I have a Right to Buy application in progress with London Borough of Lewisham,
Active Date of 11th February 2003.
The landlord - London Borough of Lewisham - are concurrently Seeking an
Order for Possession my property at the Woolwich County Court, served
23rd December 2003, under Ground 10A of the 1985 Housing Act, for which
I have filed a Defence and Counter-Claim to complete my Right to Buy.
As a key worker - a teacher working for the London Borough of Greenwich
- I value the property very highly, as it has and continues to provide
a secure home at a reasonable cost in London. Enabling me to practise
use my skills and talents for the benefit of people in London.
My property is a 3-bed maisonette flat in a block of 53 flats, which is
Marlowe House. It features spacious room layout together with well-lit
rooms by daylight, and open views to parks and the nearby river Thames.
It has good size balconies at front and rear. It has security by entry
phone at main front and flat level entry. It has central heating. It
is provided with a lift. I am content to live in the property.
The property will meet the minimum level of the Governments' Decent Homes
Standard, even though it has not received the full renovation works that
have already been undertaken to 8 identical blocks of flats on the Pepys
estate under Pepys Estate Action 1992-2001 - the corresponding properties
are :
Argosy House, Bembridge House, Bence House, Clement House,
Taken altogether as 10 identical blocks of 53 flats these properties compromise
a design feature termed the "London Wall", as they curve through the Estate
from the riverside to Evelyn Street, SE8.
All of these properties have gardens for the flats at ground level, and
garages at the rear of the ground floor.
The principal architect for the scheme was Ted Hollandby, GLC, who himself
resided at the Red House built by William Morris in Bexley, South London.
Marlowe House and Millard House were included at a late stage in a diversion
from the Estate Action by a revised Form B. At that time 1997/98 £6m of
funding remained of the Estate Action budget, enough to complete the scheduled
works. Which had been awaited since 1992. Marlowe House and Millard
House being scheduled at the end of the scheme for the required works
in 1998/99.
Harmon House and Pelican House were the last of the identical blocks of
53 flats to be refurbished under Estate Action - those being completed
in 2000; and they, together with other parts of the estate benefited from
further works when the diversion was made, using the £6m of funding.
Albemarle House - 16 flats - was the last property to be refurbished in
2001 under Estate Action.
Phase 1 - Demolition of Barfleur House, 32 flats, and Dolben Court, 52
flats, they each had dis-used underground car parks from there original
purpose. Yet the Dolben Court area was in good use by many local community
arts groups.
Phase 2 - Limberg House had none of the so called "problems" with underground
garages or walkways, that Barfleur and Dolben Court were alleged to have.
It could easily have been refurbished "stand alone". Again Limberg House
had received Estate Action works including double-glazing. This spend
was then wasted by demolition in 2003.
Phase 3 - Proposed demolition of Marlowe House and Millard House.
The redevelopment scheme should be halted, now, at the commencement of
Phase 2, and proceed no further.
Marlowe House and Millard house should be refurbished under the Decent
Homes Standard.
Which has recently commenced in late 2003 on the older properties of Trinity
Estate, nearby.
Marlowe House and Millard House have awaited works since the beginning
of Estate Action in 1992, they can wait a little longer for other funding
to preserve them, and renovate them.
The redevelopment scheme as a whole put to then Secretary of State also
included Aragon Tower - a 24 storey tower block. This has been sold,
separately to the private market. Losing 144 "social housing" units,
and producing a very large Capital receipt of around £12m.
The London Borough of Lewisham have perverted the Communities Plan for
"mixed communities" into a scheme where an established community has been
broken up, "social housing" removed, secure tenancies taken away for less
generous assured tenancies, shared ownership introduced at a cost above
local affordability, and the private housing market made a beneficiary
of a prime asset.
A Public Inquiry is called for.
47 Marlowe House
Bowditch
Deptford
London SE8
I object to the Compulsory Purchase Order - London Borough of Lewisham
( Pepys Estate, Deptford ) CPO 2004.
Harmon House, Landyard House, Pelican House and Pendennis House.
The redevelopment scheme by Hyde Housing Association has been split into
3 Phases :
An Enterprise Centre with European Social Fund has refurbished a part
of this, to good effect.
Dolben Court had received Estate Action works including double-glazing.
This spend was then wasted by demolition of these 2 blocks in 2001.
Why ? As 8 identical blocks of 53 flat properties have been refurbished
( see earlier list ).
The properties are structurally sound.
Restorative works to the properties would cost around 1/5th of the proposed
demolition and re-build.
More "social housing" in the Borough will be lost. "Affordable" housing
is not a replacement for "social housing".
Yours sincerely,
Malcolm Cadman