Campaigners target judicial review of Elephant and Castle redevelopment
Campaign group Up The Elephant has raised most of the initial £5,000 target needed to launch a judicial review of a redevelopment of Southwark’s Elephant and Castle shopping centre.
The group’s crowd funding page said it is being advised by the Public Interest Law Centre and Southwark Law Centre and will be represented by barristers Sarah Sackman of Francis Taylor Building and David Wolfe QC of Matrix Chambers.
It argues that 1,000 council homes were lost in the regeneration of the nearby Heygate estate and that developer Delancey, which plans to demolish the shopping centre, will provide insufficient affordable housing in its new development.
The group said Delancey had offered 116 social rented units out of 979 new homes but “we now know that with mayor’s funding they could give us another 42”.
A Delancey spokesperson said: “We are disappointed the process which led to the granting of planning consent has been challenged.
“It is now likely the timeline for starting on site will be pushed back which is likely to have a direct impact on a significant number of the existing businesses located in the shopping centre, who were hoping for stability and certainty in order to plan for their future.”
Delancey remained “confident about the significant benefits that the redevelopment would bring to the area.
A Southwark statement said: “We are aware of the application but as this is now a legal matter for the courts, the council will not be commenting further until the outcome of the proceedings are known.”
