The battle for Peckham’s soul has been ongoing for over fifteen years now. Is the saga now approaching its final act? The site encompassing the Aylesham Shopping Centre has been earmarked for redevelopment since 2016.
But since at least 2008, local residents and campaigners have been discussing what the vision for Peckham’s town centre should be.
Those local stakeholders have often talked about an “integrated” town centre. Their ideas have typically involved low-rise buildings with a focus on community-benefit and small local enterprises.
Instead, Berkeley’s latest plans indicate it is pushing ahead with something quite different from that vision. We are looking at a high-density housing development, with multiple residential blocks that tower over everything else in the area.
At Southwark News, we always make the case for more housing. Those 850 new homes, including 35 per cent at affordable rates, will be a dream come true for many families. But will this development ruin Peckham’s inherent character?
One thing’s for sure; if these plans get the council’s go-ahead, the area will never be the same again.
