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To: Beverley Nomafo, Programme Director, Leathermarket Community Benefit Society

Save Long Lane Ball Court and Garden - Protect the Elim Estate

Stop plans to build on the open spaces on the Elim Estate.

Instead, invest in and improve the triangle garden and the ball court in collaboration with local residents to make the area a happy, healthy place to live, work and enjoy.

Why is this important?

What We Oppose

Long Lane is already overdeveloped and polluted and falls well below decent standards in terms of public open spaces. Building on the few that exist is reckless and destructive. It will have devastating consequences for people's mental and physical health, will deprive residents of natural light and leave Long Lane grey and miserable.

Southwark Council says the ball court is an "under used site" but kids play there every day.

Banksie Critchley of Bell Phillips Architects says the development will "repair the gap in the street frontage caused by the green space." It's not a gap in need of repair, it's a vital, beautiful green space with mature trees that locals love. We need more like it.

Beverley Nomafo says profits from the sale of private housing built on the garden will "provide cross subsidy value for affordable homes on other sites." The Leathermarket CBS strapline is Local Homes, for Local People, by Local People. Building on and selling off healthy recreational spaces here to build elsewhere isn't addressing any local housing issues and in fact makes them worse.

Southwark Council and local housing associations, including Leathermarket, have sold off thousands of homes in recent years. Plans like those proposed force people in already strained circumstances to shoulder the burden of those irresponsible decisions.

What We Propose

We deserve and can achieve better! We propose collaboration with local residents, gardeners, community groups and artists to make the most of these spaces for everyone in the area - especially the residents of the Elim.

Quotes from Locals

"We are overcrowded in our flat but I still would rather the sports space is kept for the community than have new homes built on it." - Elim Resident

"Building on one the few recreational spaces within an existing estate seems to be a policy of taking away from communities that have the bare minimum as it is." - Local Resident

"Building on the Elim Estate means residents are going to be trapped between tall buildings and are going to lose natural light and privacy." - Elim Resident

"I've been on the housing list for years but I don't support these plans. Good housing is not just a roof over your head, it's about healthy surroundings and community." - Local Resident

Please support our campaign and spread the word that we want more open space in London, not less!

Thank you.

Elim St, London SE1 4QB, UK

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Updates

2020-10-15 15:55:58 +0100

100 signatures reached

2020-10-14 15:53:18 +0100

50 signatures reached

2020-10-14 13:27:26 +0100

25 signatures reached

2020-10-14 11:22:47 +0100

10 signatures reached