Local residents and campaigners behind Save Waterloo’s Paradise have taken a stand to launch an official appeal against the gentrification of the area. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Activists behind the Save Waterloo’s Paradise campaign have been reaching out to organisations and the general public to raise awareness of the current plight of Iklectik, a community run arts venue located in an old paradise yard next to Waterloo. The venue is under a serious danger of being destroyed as Lambeth council have approved planning permission to redevelop the area from a heritage centre to gigantic office complex.
The wider area under threat is a home to a wide range of community venues, including a city farm, an architect company focused on social housing, and a theatre, and plays a significant role in the London creative life.
The local residents and campaigners behind Save Waterloo’s Paradise have taken a stand to launch an official appeal against the gentrification of the area where Trustees of the £1bn Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation (a health charity, not the NHS trust) are planning on building an enormous office development in a heritage hotspot, close to the Palace of Westminster and Lambeth Palace.
It would be the largest single office development ever seen in the London Borough of Lambeth, driving the pre-existing community run venues, local creatives and other projects of high community value out of the area.
A petition calling on Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove to save Waterloo’s paradise by following a more sustainable design for the development has already amassed more than 43,000 signatures.
The development will remove access to creative spaces at an already very difficult time
The letter written on behalf of the MU by Regional Organiser for London Jamie Pullman calls on Mayor of London Sadiq Kahn to refuse the planning application and go for a more sustainable option.
Dear Mr Kahn,
I am writing on behalf of members of the Musicians’ Union in London to urge you to call in and refuse this application so that the more sustainable option already on the table can be adopted.
If it goes ahead, this development will remove access to creative spaces such as recording studios and rehearsal spaces that are already very difficult to find and afford in London.
I hope you will take note of the many respected national and international institutions that have objected to the application, together with over 100 local residents and over 43,000 petition signatories (https://www.change.org/p/save-waterloo-paradise) and call in and refuse the application from the developers.
Yours truly,
Jamie Pullman
Take action to save Waterloo’s Paradise
Concerned members can take action by:
Find out more about the Save Waterloo’s Paradise campaign on their website.