Is this a greedy land grab?

Published: 18 November, 2010

• SINCE June 2009 it has been known that six estates in Gospel Oak/Lismore Circus area have been selected for “regeneration”.

Which sounds great. Except, sadly, it isn’t great.  

Over recent months a number of aspects of the council’s plans have come to light. We learned in June 2010 that only “new build” projects are now under consideration at the council – which logically implies demolition of the present buildings/homes. The newly formed Gospel Oak Neighbourhood Action Group (GONAG) submitted a Freedom of Information request which revealed, to our shock, that the council was preparing to go ahead with regeneration plans as a self-funded project. 

What seems to be happening is a plan to rebuild the Lismore Circus/GO area (15.2 hectares of land) with a majority of new-build housing offered for public sale. The housing density is projected to more than double.

We are still waiting for honest answers from the council about these devastating plans. 

The so-called regeneration seems, after careful scrutiny, to be nothing more than a greedy land grab on the part of council to generate oodles of cash to fill a hole in the council’s budget. 

We understand that the funds generated would not necessarily be ring-fenced for use within the local community. The people of Gospel Oak deserve better. We’re coming together under the umbrella group of GONAG which ties in residents’ associations of the six estates and is liaising with representatives of affected street properties too. 

While GONAG is not against investment in the Gospel Oak area per se, and while there is a call for investment in housing and community projects, we strongly object to the scale and scope of plans that we have so far seen. 

GONAG proposes, on behalf of the local community, that a “partnership model” based on the successful West Euston Partnership be immediately implemented to ensure local people really are in the driver’s seat, and also to ensure that the days of Camden Council’s secrecy and lack of transparency are over. 

Isn’t it time for a wide-scale, well-publicised local area forum on the issue?

D COURTESI & S JOHNSTON
for the Gospel Oak Neighbourhood Action Group
www.gonag.org.uk