More concerned residents are joining the campaign to stop Southwark Council from approving a planning document for Blackfriars Road that gives a green light to intensify development. The document was recently agreed by the Labour Cabinet members (see previous post) but has been “called in” by the council’s Overview and Scrutiny committee.

This isn’t about NIMBYism from the residents; they are not saying no to all development. They are just asking that the views of those who live on and around Blackfriars Road are taken seriously.

At last week’s South Bank Forum residents from Quadrant House came out in force to express their concerns about the future of their homes. They had read on the inSE1 website that they are going to be knocked down – but the developers hadn’t asked them or their landlords what they thought or even told them what was happening.

We we desperately need more homes in Southwark and in London, but we are not starting with a blank canvass. Residents already live here, and in many cases have done for generations. They invested in Southwark when no-one else was interested. Now it is Southwark’s turn to invest in them, and include them in their future plans instead of forcing them out of the neighbourhood.

Shame on Southwark Labour.