HOUSING
Something old,
something new… The regeneration of Elephant and Castle promises to transform the area around the LSBU campus. We asked Southwark Council to talk us through the project – and what it will mean for the future of the local area
Any LSBU alumni returning to their old stamping ground over the next few years will not fail to notice changes. The plans for regeneration at Elephant and Castle will open up public areas, making roads and streets safer for local people and creating a new town centre, giving the area a new civic heart (see artist’s impression, below).
Alongside high street and independent retailers, there will be more housing, better restaurants and leisure opportunities and a new cutting-edge university campus for the London College of Communication, with space for exhibitions and cultural activities. The regeneration of the former Heygate Estate will provide hundreds of quality homes as well as a new leisure centre and a new inner London park – the largest for 70 years.
There is a strong focus on supporting local communities and promoting the diversity that gives Elephant and Castle its unique feel. It is vital that this is sustained for the future. For example,
we are exploring ways of supporting the large Latin American community during the regeneration process, and £22,000 has already been granted to develop proposals for a ‘Latin Quarter’. Partners Delancey and Lendlease are working closely with Carnaval del Pueblo, a long-running Latin American festival, supporting the Plaza Latina event on East Street and providing the organisation with a new office in Artworks on Elephant Road, where they will be running educational work placements for local students.
Historically, Elephant and Castle’s thriving cultural and entertainment scene earned it the label of the ‘Piccadilly of the South’. We want to see a return to those glory days. As a first step, a number of the companies involved in the regeneration co- sponsored the recent Elefest festival, a three-day celebration of the area’s past, present and future.
Delancey is also working with us to support the New Leaders Programme, a London-wide initiative set up by the Duke of Edinburgh which aims to equip young people with the skills and abilities that employers, colleges and universities need. With Delancey’s financial backing, a ‘New Leaders’ course has been launched in Southwark which will see locally recruited young people undertake a voluntary leadership position.
Regeneration partners include Lendlease, Transport for London and Delancey. Find out more about the project at
www.elephantandcastle-lendlease.com
* National Housing Federation - **
http://bit.ly/1goTleL - ***
http://bit.ly/1DuD9BMcrisis
Autumn 2015 | SOUTH BANK | 13
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