The Brixton Society is urging residents to have their say on plans for nine-storey block of flats on the site of a central Brixton pub.
Developers are holding an exhibition on their plans for the Canterbury Arms pub, Canterbury Crescent, on Thursday (June 27) in International House from 2pm until 8pm.
They want local people to respond before they submit a formal planning application to Lambeth Council later this year.
The plans were unveiled at a meeting in International House on June 28. they include 40 residential units and a community use function on part of the ground floor.
The chairman of Brixton Society, Bill Linskey, said: “It is important at this stage that as many people as possible have their say on the plans.
“If people don’t say anything then the developer can turn around and say that no one is bothered about what happens here.”
The development will be the first move in the wider development around Popes Road, including International House and the site of the temporary ice skating rink.
In a letter to Brixton Blog last week, developers May Developments said: “This scheme will therefore be an important first phase of the regeneration of the immediate area and it is hoped that the quality of the building we are proposing will have a positive effect on the adjacent sites.
“Once the adjoining sites are brought forward by the council, it will form part of a coherent new mixed-use area. It is intended that our scheme will also help to improve community safety and make Canterbury Crescent and the link through to the Rec and market more welcoming for pedestrians.”
More on the plans here.
Personally I’m gutted to learn of the loss of one of Brixton’s finest boozers. Yes a bit down at the heals, but charming, with a good crowd & staff, fab peaceful but friendly atmosphere, regulars and pre-giggers, and excellent music nights for an under-catered for indie crowd – I can think of no other place that does such a wonderful job of bringing a properly diverse group of music lovers together for a good dance! Brixton as an area is disappointingly tipping in favour of fickle trendiness and a temporary audience who will move on when it goes out of fashion again. I’m in favour of sympathetic regeneration and increased housing, sure, but I wonder how many hundreds of thousands these flats will be sold for, perhaps with a tokenistic proportion made available through (un-)affordabe housing schemes. Now that one can hardly move in the market for hipsters in search of a raucous night out, the Canterbury is/was one of the few remaining spaces that allowed for a good conversation and great laughs. I prefer that at the heart of a community than yet another block of flats.
More much need homes, fair enough. But at the expense of the loss of yet another local, family orientated pub used by all the local community. OK its not pretty, but It will be sorely missed.
Seems like a sensible plan.
An element of social housing
A community room
And much-needed homes