Social Regeneration Charter for Old Kent Road out for consultation

We’re encouraging residents to have their say on how regeneration should benefit the local community.

Southwark council’s Cabinet has approved a draft version of a Social Regeneration Charter for Old Kent Road which is now out for consultation until 2 December (extended from 4 November).

The Charter includes ten promises to local people living and working in the Old Kent Road area. The Charter promises the regeneration will:

1) Improve and expand local educational, sports, culture and youth services
2) Double the amount of open space
3) Improve air quality
4) Ensure Old Kent Road is a healthy place to live, work and grow old
5) Provide 5,000 social rented homes
6) Eliminate rogue landlords and ensure every home is secure, fit to live in and has predictable rent
7) Increase investment in local council estates
8) Create the largest Living Wage Neighbourhood in the UK
9) Increase the amount of affordable workspace
10) Create 10,000 new jobs

Cllr Leo Pollak, Cabinet Member for Social Regeneration, Great Estates and New Council Homes, said:

“The regeneration plans for Old Kent Road will define the borough for generations to come, which is why we have to be sure it works for all the community, working to measurably reduce heath, housing and economic inequalities in the borough.

“We want to make sure the strategies and plans of ourselves, developers, TfL and other partners, are properly aligned to the needs of our local communities. That’s why our draft charter makes a set of far-reaching demands, from meeting the entire identified housing need in the area, to radically improving air quality and expanding the coverage of new green open space.

The draft charter is the product of thousands of conversations with local people but we want to hear from as many people as possible to ensure our residents are the main beneficiaries of change along Old Kent Road to make sure we have the right measures of success going forward.”

Join us at one of two consultation sessions at 231 Old Kent Road in October:

– Thursday 17 October 6pm to 8pm
– Thursday 24 October 6pm to 8pm

You are welcome to just drop-in on the day but it would help us if you could register in advance by emailing planningpolicy@southwark.gov.uk.

Read the draft Charter and take part in the online consultation

UPDATE (26 Nov): The final version of the charter will be considered at Southwark Council’s Cabinet meeting on 21 January 2020.