Labour

The protest was organised by Southwark Housing And Planning Emergency

By Arthur Townend

Downloading PDF. Please wait…

Saturday 31 May 2025

Issue

On the march in Peckham (Picture: Guy Smallman)

Housing campaigners in south London are taking the fight to property developers who want to tear apart their communities. Hundreds of people rallied and marched through Peckham on Saturday. 

Berkeley Homes is redeveloping Aylesham Centre in the area. It initially proposed 35 percent “affordable” and social housing, but it slashed that already insufficient offer to 12 percent. 

Tanya is part of Southwark Housing And Planning Emergency (Shape), which organised the demonstration. She told the rally, “We’re here again to send a message to the council—we will no longer tolerate the rule of developers.”

“Our campaign, alongside many other people and organisations, has forced three councillors to oppose the scheme. 

“Our local MP Miatta Fahnbulleh and the leadership of the council have expressed disappointment at Berkeley’s outrageous offer because of our campaign. 

“But we expect more than disappointed—we demand outright disagreement.” 

Shape calls for 50 percent of developments on private land, and 100 percent on council land, to be council housing. 

Tanya added, “Giving developers the green light to make super profits will not stop the housing crisis. It will mean more social cleansing, more gentrification and more homelessness.”

Rage at Starmer’s Labour and the Labour-run council was abundant at the protest. 

One longtime housing activist told Socialist Worker that the council is “supine”. She said, “In fact, I blame the council and the government just as much as Berkeley Homes. 

“If the government doesn’t wake up, this will be it for me—I’ll never vote Labour again.” 

The activist said that the Aylesham Centre “needs developing, but not in their way”. “The cheapest house is £700,000, and 40 percent of children live in substandard housing. How does that help them?” she asked 

“Berkeley knows this is for second homeowners and overseas buyers, it’s not for people of Peckham.”

Shaun, a PCS union member, said, “We see more and more people forced into the private sector because there isn’t enough council housing. And then the housing benefit doesn’t cover rent.

“We have to join together to demand council housing at council rents.”

Shaun slammed Labour for blaming migrants for the housing crisis, which opens “door for the far right and Reform UK”. 

“We must unite against racism and fight for real solutions to the housing crisis—building council housing and the requisitioning of empty homes,” he said. 

Samson, a human rights activist and lawyer, has lived in Peckham for 35 years. “There is a big problem with housing. But migrants and refugees do not cause it,” he told Socialist Worker. 

He added, “Do I agree with development? Yes. But what matters is who is doing the development.” 

Private developers cannot fix Britain’s housing crisis

Eileen has lived in Peckham for 52 years. She told the rally the development is simply “investment for people who want to park their money somewhere relatively safe”. 

“This is beyond Berkeley Homes and Peckham. There’s something seriously wrong with the way the planning and housing system works in Britain.” 

One protester from Unite Community Southwark and Lambeth union branch told Socialist Worker that overdevelopment is “driving people out”. “People are being forced out because they can’t afford to live here,” they said. 

“I’ve lived here 70 years, and I hate what the council has been doing. It’s why schools are closing—because people can’t afford to live here and raise their children. It’s ridiculous.”

The campaign against Berkeley Homes in Peckham is shining light against the private, profiteering developers who rampage through local communities. 

There need to be more fightbacks like the one in south London. 

Join People’s Assembly protest, Homes For All housing and Planning block, Saturday 7 June, Portland Place, 12 noon 

Join the protest at Southwark council’s Planning Committee meeting, Wednesday 2 July, 5.45pm, 60 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH