Council calls on Secretary of State for urgent meeting, after Judge puts Aylesbury estate judicial review back on track

19 January 2017

Southwark Council has called on Secretary of State Sajid Javid for a meeting to discuss the regeneration of the Aylesbury estate, following a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice.

The hearing was the latest step in the council’s attempt to overturn the government’s decision not to allow the compulsory purchase of 8 remaining properties, needed if 800 new homes are to be delivered. At the hearing Judge Collins agreed that the council could proceed with the judicial review process, proposed that a meeting should be held between the two parties before any litigation begins, considered that it would be unlawful for the council to offer more than is allowed under the Compensation Code, and recognised that the decision has significant knock-on effects for other schemes.

Cllr Peter John, Leader of Southwark Council, said: “I wrote to Sajid Javid last year, asking him to look again at his decision, but his response was effectively that he would see us in court. This week a Judge echoed our view that the decisions to date have been based in part on speculation and misunderstanding, and I would urge the Secretary of State to listen to this impartial view, and meet with us to properly consider this important issue. His decision threatens the future of homebuilding in London and across the country, and it deserves his full attention. We can also save the taxpayer considerable sums of money if we can resolve this without involving the courts. I have written to him to request an urgent meeting.”

The regeneration of the Aylesbury estate will bring the following benefits for local people:

  • 50 per cent affordable homes, with 75 per cent of those at social rents and the remainder as shared ownership or shared equity homes for leaseholders
  • mixed communities - between social rent, shared ownership and private sale
  • improving existing open space, (invested £11m to improve Burgess Park for local residents, with a further £6m to be spent over the next three years, and improved grounds maintenance)
  • £30m investment in local education  including a brand new building for Faraday Primary School and a new secondary school  - University Academy of Engineering Southbank
  • A brand new library and health centre for local people
  • Working with the Creation Trust to support the economic and social regeneration of the estate by helping residents into education, training and employment, as well as supporting a range of other projects and programmes Creation run including their resident involvement activities

Page last updated: 19 January 2017

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