Remembering Alan Walter – Legendary housing campaigner honoured with bench on Peckwater Estate

Published: 15 April 2010
by RICHARD OSLEY

A REBELLIOUS housing campaigner who took on the Town Hall and government on behalf of council tenants everywhere was remembered on his home estate in Kentish Town – a year after his sudden death from a heart attack.

Alan Walter, 51, had a legendary reputation in Camden for his work with the campaign group Defend Council Housing, launched in 1997.

A bench inscribed with his name was unveiled on the Peckwater Estate on Sunday.

Although bashful about his efforts, Mr Walter, a telecoms worker, was admired for devoting his spare time and holidays to ramp up the issue of good social housing on the national political agenda. He fought against sell-offs and called for more council homes to be built and the existing ones to be refurbished.

Undeterred by politicians who wrote him off as a fantasist, he helped unify Camden’s tenants movement and inspired others to stand up against council diktats. Famously, he helped lead a campaign to stop Camden’s council housing stock from being transferred to a private company five years ago.

Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson, who shared Mr Walter’s views against hiving off the control of council homes, public sector campaigner Candy Udwin and housing campaigners Petra Dando and David Rodgers made speeches at the estate. 

Mr Walter also worked on campaigns to improve the provision of youth services for disaffected teens in Kentish Town and organised protests against extremist political parties.