West London resists plans to knock down council homes for luxury flats
Greedy developers desperate to knock down hundreds of council homes
in west London face a national campaign organised by the tight-knit community
they want to destroy.
Earls Court residents, local businesses and councillors staged an
all-day rally on Saturday to boost their fight against property firm Capco.
Capco wants to demolish 760 homes on the West Kensington and Gibbs
Green estates as well as the 76-year-old Earls Court exhibition centre to make
way for a handful of posh flats.
The Save Earls Court campaign is set to become one of the most
significant battles between people power and corporate greed in the country.
Hundreds of people joined in the I Love Earls Court day of action to
plan a counterattack against the profiteers.
Callous London Mayor Boris Johnson and so-called Communities
Secretary Eric Pickles have already approved the development, stitched up
between Capco and Hammersmith & Fulham council.
But activists say it is not too late to save Earls Court and plans
are in motion to link up with other campaigns across London and the country.
Earls Court Area Action Group’s Sally Taylor, who lives on the West
Kensington estate, told the Morning Star that a joined-up campaign would be
essential to prevent the demolition from encouraging other developers to turf
out council tenants.
She said: “We’ve been told by the council that we would be moved
into like-for-like accommodation but I’m not buying that.
“The demolition will break up our tight-knit community that goes
back decades and our communities will be ghettoised and shunted into
less-desirable areas to make room for luxury flats to cater for businessmen on
fleeting visits.”
Frederick Podmore, 79, welcomed the campaign group into his home on
the West Kensington estate where he has lived with his wife Joyce since May 15
1972.
“Money can’t buy memories,” he said. “We’re very upset but we’re
stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
Rail union RMT has also thrown its weight behind the campaign as the
demolition threatens the Lillie Bridge Tube depot, putting jobs and vital
maintenance work at risk.
One campaigner said the union’s support had given them “the courage
and morale to continue the fight and organise.”
Local restaurant manager Spencer Parsons warned that knocking down
Earls Court exhibition centre could release deadly asbestos dust.
He said: “My main worry is the loss of business literally
overnight.”
The huge events held at the centre are responsible for up to half of
the local economy
.
Hammersmith Labour MP Andy Slaughter said the next stage would be to
take legal action.
He said one issue for a judicial review would be the council
flogging off the site “at gross undervalue” — knocking off up to a quarter of
its value.
Mr Slaughter also pointed out that Capco’s plans made a mockery of
Hammersmith & Fulham’s aim for 40 per cent of new developments to be
classified as affordable housing, instead offering just 10 per cent.
That is “not just wrong, it’s perverse.”
