Protesters have mounted a sit-in at the Lakeside Centre in Thamesmead, southeast London, to oppose a redevelopment plan they describe as a form of ethnic cleansing. The estate, known as the Lesnes Estate and famously featured in Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 film adaptation of Anthony Burgess’s dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange, is at the centre of controversy amid plans to demolish its 816 homes and replace them with 2,778 new dwellings. The area, often dubbed “Little Lagos” due to its large Nigerian community, faces fears that the regeneration scheme will price out longstanding residents and fundamentally change the character of the community.

Locals gathered on a Saturday night, unfurling a black banner on a nearby roundabout that read “end art washing,” highlighting anger not only at the redevelopment but also at what they see as gentrification fuelled by cultural and artistic initiatives in the area. Seven protesters briefly occupied the arts centre, which houses over 40 artists and is managed by the charity Bow Arts in partnership with Peabody housing association, the developer behind the regeneration. While Peabody claims that housing in the arts centre is offered first to residents of the London borough of Bexley, some residents argue that many artists are not local, intensifying concerns over community displacement.

The redevelopment has been granted outline planning permission by Bexley Council but currently faces delays, with the application referred to the Secretary of State for further scrutiny. The Lesnes Estate was once celebrated as Britain’s ‘town of tomorrow’ from its 1960s origins and has grown more attractive recently due to the Elizabeth Line, which significantly reduces travel times to central London. Many residents, however, say the estate now suffers from neglect, with boarded-up homes and pest infestations, creating a sense of uncertainty and despair about their future in the area.

Esther Ovba, a protester of Nigerian heritage, told The Guardian that the influx of wealthier, often white, middle-class residents replacing long-term community members felt like “ethnic cleansing.” Other residents have expressed similar concerns, staging occupations of vacant homes to demand dialogue with Peabody and Bexley Council and advocating for refurbishment of existing buildings rather than wholesale demolition. These protests are part of a broader movement within Thamesmead, where many residents want to see investment focused on revamping rather than erasing the homes and communities they have built over decades.

Peabody’s executive director for sustainable places, John Lewis, asserted that the association has invested millions into community infrastructure, creating new cultural spaces and refurbishing derelict ones. He emphasised offers for all Lesnes residents to receive new homes, social tenants to maintain social rents, and homeowners to have options to buy similar properties or receive financial support to purchase other local homes. Nonetheless, many residents remain skeptical, worried that these promises may not preserve the community’s fabric or prevent displacement.

The local council stated it acknowledges residents’ concerns and remains committed to ensuring their voices are heard throughout the regeneration process, though it notes that the programme is delivered by Peabody and not directly managed by the council. Meanwhile, activists have launched petitions urging the halt of demolition plans, citing the environmental impact, increased housing density, and destruction of community heritage. The calls from residents for Peabody to refurbish rather than demolish reflect a desire to retain the close-knit community and cultural identity that have flourished in Thamesmead for decades.

As the redevelopment plans face ongoing scrutiny and protest, the fate of the Lesnes Estate remains uncertain, caught between ambitions for urban renewal and the preservation of a long-established community wary of erasure.

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Source: Noah Wire Services