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Residents of two landmark 1960s housing estates in south London may finally be able to remain in their homes after more than 12 years of uncertainty. Lambeth Council has proposed removing Central Hill in Crystal Palace and Cressingham Gardens beside Brockwell Park from its demolition and redevelopment programme, choosing instead to retain, repair and improve the existing homes.
The proposal will be considered by the council’s Cabinet on October 21, according to Lambeth Council and The Guardian.
A major shift in policy
The new plans would end the long-running threat of demolition for Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens, both of which are known for their distinctive postwar design, green spaces and established communities. Instead of rebuilding the estates from scratch, Lambeth wants to invest in existing homes, bring empty properties back into use and protect the neighbourhoods that residents have created over decades.Council officers found that comprehensive redevelopment of both estates was financially unviable. That conclusion has led the council to recommend a different approach, one that keeps the existing homes in place while still seeking ways to increase the supply of genuinely affordable council and social housing.The proposals would also remove Knights Walk and Trinity Rise from the New Homes Hexagon Portfolio.
At Knights Walk, the completed first phase has left the proposed second-phase site inaccessible, making the remaining scheme unviable, as per the reports.
Relief after years of uncertainty
For residents, the announcement represents the possibility of stability after years of living under the threat of losing their homes. Many have campaigned against demolition, arguing that the estates are not merely collections of buildings but communities with long-standing social ties, shared histories and a strong sense of place.Councillor Pete Elliott, Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said, according to the reports, that the proposals would end years of uncertainty and put the focus on repairing homes, supporting communities and filling empty properties. He said the council had fought for a better future for Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens for more than 12 years.Councillor Scott Ainslie, Cabinet Member for Property, Planning and Development, Built Environment and Public Realm, said the estates are valued places with strong communities and distinctive architecture.
He added that the council had stood with residents in arguing that their future should not depend on demolition, reported Lambeth Council.
Protecting architectural heritage
Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens are important examples of 1960s social housing design. Their retention would preserve not only homes but also an architectural legacy created by an earlier generation of planners and designers.Lambeth Council leader Councillor Martin Abrams described the proposal as a decisive moment for the two estates.
He said it recognised the work involved in securing their future without demolition, while allowing investment to focus on residents’ homes and the reuse of empty properties.The council says it can build the homes Lambeth needs without erasing the best of what earlier generations created. Its new programme will pursue high-quality and sustainable council and social housing on suitable sites, using every viable delivery model.
Building homes another way
Although the council is stepping back from wholesale demolition, it says the need for more affordable homes remains urgent. Lambeth plans to use a broader range of delivery routes, including buying homes and delivering new council housing directly.The council will also identify suitable small sites and infill opportunities across the borough. These smaller developments could add homes without requiring the clearance of large existing estates, offering a more targeted way to expand housing supply.Residents will also be involved in future plans for other estates. Lambeth will work with the community on proposals for the Westbury estate in Clapham Town, which could deliver hundreds of new homes, including more genuinely affordable homes. It will also review options for the Fenwick Estate in Clapham North and develop options for the South Lambeth estate with residents.
What happens next
The Cabinet will consider the proposals on October 21. Residents are due to receive a letter, and updates will be published on each estate’s website before the meeting.If approved, the decision would be a significant victory for campaigners who have spent years opposing demolition. It would also signal a wider shift in how some London boroughs approach estate renewal, placing repair, community retention and architectural preservation alongside the need to build new homes.More detail on Lambeth’s New Homes Programme, including reviews of the remaining sites and plans for new council and social housing, is expected later this year. For now, residents of Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens have been given the clearest indication yet that their homes may have a secure future.