Recently I had the great pleasure of speaking some of the residents of Excalibur Estate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_Estate) in Catford, London. They allowed me to record our conversation for Social Housing Sound Archive, for which I'm very grateful. 

This is an extract from longer conversation with Margaret Rose Edwards - on the day before her 83rd Birthday - who has lived on the estate for over 35 years.

It was not an 'interview', as such, as I tried to avoid asking questions or steering the conversation in any particular direction and preferred to let all residents speak freely about the subjects that concern and interest them. I enjoyed these conversations immensely and I hope you enjoy listening to the sections that I found of particular interest, edited from the full recording.

Excalibur Estate Margaret Speaks of Helpful Ghosts

Recently I had the great pleasure of speaking some of the residents of Excalibur Estate (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_Estate) in Catford, London. They allowed me to record our conversation for Social Housing Sound Archive, for which I'm very grateful. 

This is an extract from longer conversation with Margaret Rose Edwards - on the day before her 83rd Birthday - who has lived on the estate for over 35 years, and George Oliver, 75 years of age, also lives on the estate for more than 30 years.

It was not an 'interview', as such, as I tried to avoid asking questions or steering the conversation in any particular direction and preferred to let all residents speak freely about the subjects that concern and interest them. I enjoyed these conversations immensely and I hope you enjoy listening to the sections that I found of particular interest, edited from the full recording.

Excalibur Estate Margaret and George 'To us there our homes'

Recently I had the great pleasure of speaking some of the residents of Excalibur Estate (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_Estate) in Catford, London. They allowed me to record our conversation for Social Housing Sound Archive, for which I'm very grateful. 

This is an extract from longer conversation with Margaret Rose Edwards - on the day before her 83rd Birthday - who has lived on the estate for over 35 years and George Oliver, 75 years of age, who has also lived on the estate for over 30 years.

It was not an 'interview', as such, as I tried to avoid asking questions or steering the conversation in any particular direction and preferred to let all residents speak freely about the subjects that concern and interest them. I enjoyed these conversations immensely and I hope you enjoy listening to the sections that I found of particular interest, edited from the full recording.

Excalibur Estate Margaret 'He took all the flags down'

Recently I had the great pleasure of speaking some of the residents of Excalibur Estate (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_Estate) in Catford, London. They allowed me to record our conversation for Social Housing Sound Archive, for which I'm very grateful. 

This is an extract from longer conversation with Margaret Rose Edwards - on the day before her 83rd Birthday - who has lived on the estate for over 35 years and Zain, 62 years of age, who has also lived on the estate for many years.

IIt was not an 'interview', as such, as I tried to avoid asking questions or steering the conversation in any particular direction and preferred to let all residents speak freely about the subjects that concern and interest them. I enjoyed these conversations immensely and I hope you enjoy listening to the sections that I found of particular interest, edited from the full recording.

Excalibur Estate Zain and Margaret - My Coffin

Recently I had the great pleasure of speaking with some of the residents of Excalibur Estate (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_Estate) in Catford, London. They allowed me to record our conversation for Social Housing Sound Archive, for which I'm very grateful. 

This is an extract from longer conversation with Margaret Rose Edwards - on the day before her 83rd Birthday - who has lived on the estate for over 35 years.

It was not an 'interview', as such, as I tried to avoid asking questions or steering the conversation in any particular direction and preferred to let all residents talk free about the subjects that concern and interest them. I enjoyed these conversations immensely and I hope you enjoy listening to this sections that I have found of particular interest, edited from the full recording.

Excalibur Estate Margaret speaks of living with ghosts

Recently I had the great pleasure of speaking some of the residents of Excalibur Estate (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_Estate) in Catford, London. They allowed me to record our conversation for Social Housing Sound Archive, for which I'm very grateful. 

This is an extract from longer conversation with Margaret Rose Edwards - on the day before her 83rd Birthday - who has lived on the estate for over 35 years, and George Oliver, 75 years of age, who has also lives on the estate for more than 30 years.

It was not an 'interview', as such, as I tried to avoid asking questions or steering the conversation in any particular direction and preferred to let all residents speak freely about the subjects that concern and interest them. I enjoyed these conversations immensely and I hope you enjoy listening to the sections that I found of particular interest, edited from the full recording.

Excalibur Estate Margaret speaks of the deeds

Recently I had the great pleasure of speaking with some of the residents of Excalibur Estate (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_Estate) in Catford, London. They allowed me to record our conversations for Social Housing Sound Archive, for which I'm very grateful. 

This is an extract from longer conversation with Margaret Rose Edwards - on the day before her 83rd Birthday - who has lived on the estate for over 35 years.

It was not an 'interview', as such, as I tried to avoid asking questions or steering the conversation in any particular direction and preferred to let all residents speak freely about the subjects that concern and interest them. I enjoyed these conversations immensely and I hope you enjoy listening to the sections that I found of particular interest, edited from the full recording.

Excalibur Estate Margaret 'that's why I like money'

Recently I had the great pleasure of speaking some of the residents of Excalibur Estate (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_Estate) in Catford, London. They allowed me to record our conversation for Social Housing Sound Archive, for which I'm very grateful. 

This is an extract from longer conversation with Margaret Rose Edwards - on the day before her 83rd Birthday - who has lived on the estate for over 35 years and Zain, 62 years of age, who has also lived on the estate for many years.

It was not an 'interview', as such, as I tried to avoid asking questions or steering the conversation in any particular direction and preferred to let all residents speak freely about the subjects that concern and interest them. I enjoyed these conversations immensely and I hope you enjoy listening to the sections that I found of particular interest, edited from the full recording.

Margaret And Zain speak about Excalibur Estate and English Heritage

Aylesbury Estate, Burgess Park Lake

Aylesbury estate, Ecuadorian volleyball games, Saturday evening, later summer 2017.

Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aylesbury_Estate

Aylesbury Leaseholders Action Group 
https://halag.wordpress.com/

supporting campaign
http://35percent.org/


https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/sep/20/aylesbury-estate-ruling-future-regeneration-sajid-javid

https://londonist.com/2015/03/aylesbury-estate-residents-fight-social-cleansing

Books:
Big Capital: Who Is London For?
by Anna Minton
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/303684/big-capital/

Aylesbury estate, Ecuadorian volleyball games

Aylesbury estate 'centre area' Saturday evening, later summer 2017.

Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aylesbury_Estate

Aylesbury Leaseholders Action Group 
https://halag.wordpress.com/

supporting campaign
http://35percent.org/


https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/sep/20/aylesbury-estate-ruling-future-regeneration-sajid-javid

https://londonist.com/2015/03/aylesbury-estate-residents-fight-social-cleansing

Books:
Big Capital: Who Is London For?
by Anna Minton
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/303684/big-capital/

Aylesbury Estate - Centre - early evening 23/09/17

Aylesbury estate Friday evening,  autumn 2017.

Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aylesbury_Estate

Aylesbury Leaseholders Action Group 
https://halag.wordpress.com/

supporting campaign
http://35percent.org/


https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/sep/20/aylesbury-estate-ruling-future-regeneration-sajid-javid

https://londonist.com/2015/03/aylesbury-estate-residents-fight-social-cleansing

Books:
Big Capital: Who Is London For?
by Anna Minton
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/303684/big-capital/

Aylesbury Estate Kids Coming Around The Corner 27/10/17

Chrisp Street Market , Poplar, London.
Designed by Frederick Gibberd: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Gibberd
 
Built 1951, part of the Festival of Britain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_of_Britain
Lansbury Estate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lansbury_Estate 
Exhibition of Architecture: http://alondoninheritance.com/eventsandceremonies/lansbury-exhibition-of-architecture/

It has now been identified as part of Chrisp Street 'Regeneration': http://chrispstreet-yourshout.nationbuilder.com/
 
Campaign: Save Chrisp Street Market on twitter: https://twitter.com/SaveChrispSt
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Our-Chrisp-Street-1630992730509285/

Chrisp Street Market entrance

Central Hill Estate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Hill_Estate

Save Central Hill (campaign)
https://www.savecentralhill.org.uk/
https://twitter.com/savecentralhill
https://www.facebook.com/groups/554220628024609/


(ASH) Architects for Social Housing
https://architectsforsocialhousing.wordpress.com/2016/05/18/ash-presentation-to-central-hill-estate-residents-engagement-panel/

Books:
Big Capital: Who Is London For?
by Anna Minton
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/303684/big-capital/

Central Hill Estate - life

Dagenham Sunday Market
http://dagenhamsundaymarket.com/

Becontree Estate (Barking and Dagenham)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becontree

'Becontree in Dagenham is generally considered to be the largest council estate (in terms of population) in the UK’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_large_council_estates_in_the_UK

Municipal Dreams: Becontree Estate (Barking and Dagenham)
https://municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/the-becontree-estate-built-in-england-where-the-most-revolutionary-social-changes-can-take-place-and-people-in-general-do-not-realise-that-they-have-occurred/

Dagenham Sunday Market Sweets 15th Oct 2017

Dagenham Sunday Market
http://dagenhamsundaymarket.com/

Becontree Estate (Barking and Dagenham)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becontree

'Becontree in Dagenham is generally considered to be the largest council estate (in terms of population) in the UK’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_large_council_estates_in_the_UK


Municipal Dreams: Becontree Estate (Barking and Dagenham)
https://municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/the-becontree-estate-built-in-england-where-the-most-revolutionary-social-changes-can-take-place-and-people-in-general-do-not-realise-that-they-have-occurred/

Barking Barrier
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barking_Creek

Creek Mouth Preservation Society  
http://creekmouth.net/map/constructing-the-barking-barrier/


Where to go birdwatching in London
https://londonist.com/2015/01/where-to-go-birdwatching-in-london
‘spot waders and water birds including gulls, cormorants, geese and ducks. If it's the estuary you're heading for, the London Wildlife Trust's Ian Tokelove recommends visiting Crossness or Barking Riverside at low tide when the mudflats are exposed’

Dagenham Sunday Market Thoughts

Gascoigne Estate, Barking

‘Regeneration’ 

https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/residents/housing-and-tenancy/estate-renewal-programme/gascoigne-estate/

Change of name
http://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/news/new-name-for-barking-s-gascoigne-estate-under-fire-1-4483587

Gascoigne Estate, Barking 15th Oct 2017

Kings Crescent Estate

post on(ASH) Architects for Social Housing
https://architectsforsocialhousing.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/an-exemplary-regeneration-kings-crescent-estate/

Kings Crescent Estate

South Lambeth Estate is one of the six estate that Lambeth council have identified as part of their 'estate regeneration' programme*. The decision has been made to partially demolish (the low rise blocks of the iconic 1960s built part of the estate are to be demolished) and 'redevelop' the estate.

There are a few architectural styles on the estate, covering roughly - I would assume judging from first sight - a thirty year 
period, all extremely attractive and very good examples of London council housing projects in the particularly areas in which they were built. Ranging from 1930 - 40s LLC (London County Council) red brick tenement schemes - which looked especially well loved and up kept by the residents; Horton House for example has the most beautiful garden / communal central yard I think I've seen anywhere in London. Someone, or a group of people, have clearly made a major project of this garden - with rather attractive public art on the facades, what look like 1950s additions, including a festival of Britain style function centre, one rather elegant 1960s point block to the extremely pleasant 1960s slab block and low rises (these are the low rises sadly ear marked for demolition)

* 'Lambeth have identified six estates have a identified as part of it's 'estate regeneration' programme with the decision taken the demolition Cressingham Gardens, Central Hill and Fenwick Estate and to particularly demolish and and redevelop Knights Walk, the Westbury Estate and the South Lambeth Estate'.  - 
Anna Minton, from her book, Big Capital: Who Is London For?
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/303684/big-capital/

South Lambeth Estate, Kibworth Street, between Broadstone House and Lulworth House

South Lambeth Estate, Lulworth House, 02/12/17

South Lambeth Estate, Near Stockwell Station

Thamesmead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thamesmead

Thamesmead, South, Lake 3pm 17/11/17

Woodberry Down, Hackney, 'the estate of the future' 
Municipal Dreams:
https://municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/woodberry-down-hackney-the-estate-of-the-future/

Woodberry Down

Aylesburyestate

SocialHousing

FieldRecordings

CouncilHousing

Aylesburyestate

Elephantandcastle

Chamberwell

Aylesbury Estate Thoughts

Regents Park Estate, in the London Borough of Camden
Zone A designed by Gibberd 
Building began in 1951
Zone C designed by Davies and Arnold
Building began in 1954
Zone B designed by Sibthorp
Building began in 1956

Seven Blocks on the Estate have been identified for demolition to make way for the controversial HS2: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/high-speed-two-limited train that will run from - initially - from London to Birmingham.

For more information I can recommend the following links:

https://municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/regents_park_estate/

https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/planning-applications-and-decisions/planning-application-search/regents-park

https://hs2andtheenvironment.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/grabbed-by-the-throat/

Regents Park Estate - Construction

Golden Lane Estate, City of London, built in the 1950s, designed Chamberlin, Powell & Bon (who later designed the neighbouring Barbican Estate)

Currently at risk of being overshadowed by Taylor Wimpey’s The Denizen luxury apartment complex and residents in the Bowater House (the closes in Golden Lane Estate to the proposed development) will lose up to 70% of the light coming into their living rooms.

The following is taken from the Spectres of Modernism campaign website: https://spectresofmodernism.wordpress.com/  

'If Taylor Wimpey’s The Denizen luxury apartment complex is built then local homes on the Golden Lane Estate, Barbican Estates and Viscount Street will be overshadowed; as will be Prior Weston School, The Jewin Welsh Church and Fortune Street Park. The park will lose its afternoon sunshine from September to March. At 3.30pm the park is packed with children and parents leaving Prior Weston School whose main entrance borders this open green space. If the sun is shining many stay and play until it sets; but should The Denizen be built the park will be plunged into complete darkness well before school leaving time for half the year. Likewise, residents in the Bowater House council block will lose up to 70% of the light coming into their living rooms.
Taylor Wimpey are already trying to sell this unbuilt and over scaled monstrosity, and their agents Frank Knight and Savills are marketing it to property investors in London, Hong Kong, Malaysia and elsewhere in the Far East. If they are built then many of these luxury apartments will never be lived in, they are destined to be buy to leave ghost homes; and with the price tags going as high as £2,375,000, they aren’t cheap!'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Lane_Estate

https://spectresofmodernism.wordpress.com/

https://opengoldenlane.blogspot.co.uk/

https://reclaimec1.wordpress.com/

Golden Lane - By fountain outside Bayer House

The Carpenters Estate, Stratford, London Borough of Newham (located adjacent to the main site for the 2012 Olympics) built in 1967, 
currently under treat of demolition, includes three of the borough’s largest tower blocks: James Riley Point, Lund Point and Dennison Point. It also contains low rise blocks, houses, gardens, a school, a college and a number of local businesses.

Apparently over 400 homes on the estate have been left empty (some for as long as 10 years). 

Focus E15 organisation are campaigning to save the estate and for it to be refurbished and repopulated.

For more info please see:
https://focuse15.org/
https://twitter.com/FocusE15
https://www.facebook.com/focuse15/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenters_Estate

The Carpenters Estate - Central

The Carpenters Estate, Stratford, London Borough of Newham (located adjacent to the main site for the 2012 Olympics) built in 1967, 
currently under treat of demolition, includes three of the borough’s largest tower blocks: James Riley Point, Lund Point and Dennison Point. It also contains low rise blocks, houses, gardens, a school, a college and a number of local businesses.

Apparently over 400 homes on the estate have been left empty (some for as long as 10 years). 

Focus E15 organisation are campaigning to save the estate and for it to be refurbished and repopulated.

For more info please see:
https://focuse15.org/
https://twitter.com/FocusE15
https://www.facebook.com/focuse15/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenters_EstateTheCarpentersEstate

The Carpenters Estate - Life - Saturday midday

Colville Estate, Hoxton, London Borough of Hackney. Currently undergoing demolition.
 
I have a personal connection to the estate as in 1999 I was offered a flat in Harwood Court, a 1960s tower block, which was demolition in 2015 - 2016, I didn’t take the flat as at the same time I was offered the flat in which I currently live, a late 1920s / early 1930s built Neo-Georgian block of flats on an LCC (London Country Council) estate also in the London borough of Hackney. In addition to this one of the my dearest friends lived in Fulcher House, a LCC style red brick low rise on Colville Estate, in the early 2000s and I have fond memories of visiting him there. 
   
Here’s an interesting article in the Hackney Citizen about estate ‘regeneration’ our the borough. 

https://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2016/02/12/hackney-lose-915-social-homes-estate-regeneration-disaster/

Colville Estate - life

Knight’s Walk is a part of Cotton Garden Estate, Kennington Lane, Lambeth, London SE11, Designed by George Finch (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Finch_(architect)), Built 1966 -1968, 

Cotton Garden Estate (www.utopialondon.com/cotton-gardens) consists of three 22 storey tower blocks - Ebenezer, Fairford and Hurle - and Knight's Walk, a collection of bungalows, which has been identified as part of their 'estate regeneration'programme*.

I visited the estate three times - first in summer, then autumn, now spring - made recordings and considered them to be without any demonstrative features, in fact I found the estate to be remarkably quiet given it’s location; next to Kennington Lane, a major A road. On my third visit I realised that the ‘calm’ (as George Finch himself described the character of the estate, in his interview for the film Utopia London (www.utopialondon.com/cotton-gardens)) is the defining factor. This recording is an attempt to capture that.   

* 'Lambeth have identified six estates as part of it's 'estate regeneration' programme with the decision taken to demolish Cressingham Gardens,Central Hill and Fenwick Estate and to particularly demolish and redevelop Knights Walk, the Westbury Estate and the South Lambeth Estate'. - 
Anna Minton, from her book, Big Capital: Who Is London For?

Knight's Walk - Calm

I recently had the great pleasure of speaking to Robin Bishop, resident of Alton Estate, Roehampton, and member of Alton Watch (www.altonwatch.org.uk); an organisation that he described as 'keeping a sceptical eye' on the proposed regeneration of the estate. We meet in Cafe Joy on Danebury Avenue (in the area possessed for demolition) He spoke - amount other thing - about life on the estate, the proposed demolition, the closure of local services and amenity (especially facilities for children), managed decline, the promise of ‘jam tomorrow’, the misguided concept of ‘designing crime out of an estate’, general lack of meaningful diagonal between residents and the council; also the developer and the ‘consolation’ company...and course the architectural natural of the site.

Thanks for Cafe Joy (www.yell.com/biz/cafe-joy-london-7335387/) for letting sit on their corner sofa for hours chatting. They service lovely tea and coffee, thoroughly recommended.

Robin - Alton Estate: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

I recently had the great pleasure of speaking to Robin Bishop, resident of Alton Estate, Roehampton, and member of Alton Regeneration Watch (www.altonwatch.org.uk)​; an organisation that he described as 'keeping a sceptical eye' on the proposed regeneration of the estate. We met in Cafe Joy on Danebury Avenue, in the area proposed for demolition. He spoke - amount other things - about life on the estate, the closure of local services and amenities (especially those for children), managed decline, the promise of ‘jam tomorrow’, the misguided concept of ‘designing crime out of an estate’, the general lack of meaningful diagonal between residents and the council; also the developer, the ‘consolation’ company and course the architectural natural of the site.

Thanks to Cafe Joy for letting us sit on their sofa for hours and chat. They service rather good tea and coffee, thoroughly recommended!

Robin - Alton Estate:  An injury to one is an injury to all

I recently had the great pleasure of speaking to Robin Bishop, resident of Alton Estate, Roehampton, and member of Alton Regeneration Watch
(www.altonwatch.org.uk)​; an organisation that he described as 'keeping a sceptical eye' on the proposed regeneration of the estate. We met in Cafe Joy on Danebury Avenue, in the area proposed for demolition. He spoke - amount other things - about life on the estate, the closure of local services and amenities (especially those for children), managed decline, the promise of ‘jam tomorrow’, the misguided concept of ‘designing crime out of an estate’, the general lack of meaningful diagonal between residents and the council; also the developer, the ‘consolation’ company and course the architectural natural of the site.

Thanks to Cafe Joy for letting us sit on their sofa for hours and chat. They service rather good tea and coffee, thoroughly recommended!

Robin - Alton Estate: Alton Regeneration News

Robin - Alton Estate: Battersea Parks Adventure Playground

Robin - Alton Estate: Area Proposed For Demolition

Robin - Alton Estate: On building prosed in the regeneration

Robin - Alton Estate: On the sites existing buildings

I recently had the great pleasure of speaking to Pam, resident of Alton Estate, Roehampton, and member of Alton Regeneration Watch
(www.altonwatch.org.uk)​; an organisation that he described as ‘having a critical eye' on the proposed regeneration of the estate. We met in Cafe Joy on Danebury Avenue, in the area proposed for demolition.

Thanks to Cafe Joy for letting me sit on their sofa for hours and chat. They service rather good tea and coffee, thoroughly recommended!

Pam - Alton Estate: What I Love About my Block

I recently had the great pleasure of speaking to Pam, resident of Alton Estate, Roehampton, and member of Alton Regeneration Watch
(www.altonwatch.org.uk)We met in Cafe Joy on Danebury Avenue, in the area proposed for demolition. She spoke about life on the estate and proposed regeneration. 

Thanks to Cafe Joy for letting me sit on their sofa for hours and chat. They service rather good tea and coffee, thoroughly recommended!

Pam Speaks about life on Alton Estate

Fenwick Estate is one of the six estates at Lambeth council have identified as part of it's 'estate regeneration' programme with the decision taken the demolition Cressingham Gardens, Central Hill and Fenwick Estate and to particularly demolish and and redevelop Knights Walk, the Westbury Estate and the South Lambeth Estate'.  - 
Anna Minton, from her book, Big Capital: Who Is London For?
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/303684/big-capital/

Fenwick Estate 8th June 2018

Social Housing Sound Archive is a collection of sound recordings made by musician and recordist A.J. Holmes.

’Social Housing’ is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which is owned and managed by local authorities or by non-profit organisations (such as housing associations) initially built to house the ‘deserving poor’, working class and now intended to be let at low rents to those who are most in need.

Although I have a keen interest in the history of social housing in general the primary focus of the of this page is British council housing, prioritising estates in London which are current being demolished or under threat of demolition.

My aim is to document these environments and the most importantly the communities that they are home to; if only for posterity. 

I have a great personal affinity with such environments, as for most of the my life I have lived in council housing. I grew up on a estate in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham, called Marks Gate, which is much like many post-war council estate all over Britain. It is modest in design and scale, consists mostly of timidly modernist houses, low rise flats and one Scandinavian style, system built, tower block, charmingly named High View House. It is a 1950’s (completed in 1959) appendage to the Becontree Estate; the inner-war housing project often referenced to as the largest ‘Public Housing’ (an earlier, international term for council or state own housing) estate in the world. In this respect it is ‘on the periphery of the periphery’, as Barking and Dagenham is located on far edges of east London (the exotic far east, if you will) and Marks Gate is on the furthest edge of that, sandwiched between the A12 trunk road and Hainault Forest, green belt. 

I currently live in a very pleasant 1930s built Neo-Georgian block of flats on an LCC (London Country Council) estate in the London borough of Hackney. I’m very proud to say that I’m a council tenant and extremely sad and infuriated by the decline and current state of social housing in the UK. I was burn in 1971 so most of the childhood was lived in the ‘pre-right to buy’ council housing area. Which was an extremely pleasant environment to grow up in. Though out my life I have observed the top down systematic erosion of these environments, through wilfully neglect, to the stage where a horrific tragedy like Grenfell Tower was - whoever shocking - unsurprising. Totally eradication of social housing now seems to be official government policy, with hundreds of council estates  - in London alone - subject to ‘regeneration schemes‘ resulting in particle or full demolition and thousands of families losing their homes and / or secure tenancy, with communities being displaced and dispersed all the country. 

In the wake of the terrible tragedy of Grenfell my only hope is that we have all turned a corner in our understand of the severity of the current housing crisis in the UK. Acknowledge that is not acceptable and that it must changed for the good of us all. 

I also hope that the inhumane ‘social cleaning’ that is currently taking place under the guise of so called ‘regeneration’ schemes can be radically re-considered. In the mean time I intend to continue documenting these environments and communities, in the hope that most of them will still be there for future generations to benefit from. If they are not, then may these records at least provide some indication of what was lost.

Social Housing Sound Archive

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