prefabs

My name is Jim Blackender I am a tenant on the Excalibur Prefab Estate Catford SE6 1RP, a very unique Historic Estate,
As tenants we are trying to highlight the difficulties we are having trying to save our historic estate
from the bulldozers
The Decent Homes Standard has given councils the golden opportunity to write off vast amounts of housing stock as non decent and transfer their stocks to housing associations who build in its place high density housing estates.

The Excalibur Prefab Estate is the largest of its kind now left in Europe.
Europe values its war time history, we on the estate think it's time we did too.

Stock Transfer. Whether stock transfer will go ahead on the Excalibur prefab estate will depend on a ballot of the tenants of this estate.

The Ballot is due in April 2008. But we have been told by Lewisham council (in writing) if we vote yes, the stock will be transferred to London & Quadrant, and the estate will be demolished, and if we vote no to stock transfer, the estate will be put forward for a regeneration scheme, Lewisham council will select a housing association of its choice, and the estate will be demolished, so not really a choice at all is it?
Just a greedy grab for land, what happened to democracy?


A grab for land and a multi- million pound deal will be done -at the expense of our history.

English Heritage has submitted an application to the Department of culture media and sports recommending a grade two listing of the Excalibur estate.
But things seem to take so long, I worry this estate will be demolished before the DCMS makes it decision.
Also there is no guarantee that the DCMS will list the estate, could be a conflict of interests; after all they are part of the same government that introduced this so called opportunity, we will have to see how independent they really are.
If the London borough of Lewisham has it way this Historic estate will no longer exist, and in its place will be another inner city housing estate, and another piece of history gone forever.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• documentary

[eyeeyecb]

What a great trip down memory lane! I moved from Longhill Road 20 years ago to Beckenham and have so many memories of walking through the prefabs to your opening shot of my two young children's playschool! Don't let them take this beautiful village away.....I still have family in Downham & Bellingham so am a true 'local'!

[jimblackender]

Hi Eyeeyecb

Thanks for your comments

its nice to here from someone who has actually seen the prefabs, and have such fond memories,

we will keep fightin.

Jim

[amyl2701]

The prefabs have such a charm to them. I have relatives who have since been moved from the prefabs in Bristol. Its so sad to see a part of history erased from peoples memories

[jimblackender]

HI AMY

THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS,

WE WILL KEEP UP THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE PREFABS AND HOPEFULY KEEP THE MEMORIES ALIVE A BIT LONGER.

jim

[jimblackender]

more on prefabs at google video and flickr

[jimblackender]

shame on lewisham council,

this estate should be a jewel in your crown,not a thorn in your side,

you should preserve your history, not destroy it,

[dimb9]

@poppymc1 wikipedia says so

[suzannesadiiqa]

Mum widowed Mum would have given her eye teeth to have had one of these to raise her two children in but because there was no 'wage earner' in the family, we were forced to endure poor housing until she remarried in 1952...then we were considered fit for a council house. I saw the one in the Avoncroft Open Air Museum and thought how different things would have been in such a little piece of heaven!

[Glenn1967ful]

These prefabs have long outlived the horrible, badly built and crime ridden tower blocks so many London councils built in the sixties. Also unlike many London council estates, this one is pleasant to live on.

Where I live in Cumbria there are prefabs that are still going strong 65 years later.

[londonandquadrantfax]

great campaign video. i live in lewisham as well but more importantly have first hand experience of london and quadrant's record as a mean spirited , grasping and reckless landlord.

hope you get to keep your homes.

[poppymc1]

Have Lewisham got their way yet? Will the prefabs be going???

[caiapark]

such nice houses, why not build some, since there is a housing shortage

[flybywir]

Prefab!...that's a magic sounding word for me.

I was born and lived the first five years of my life in a prefab in Aldine Street, Shepherds Bush, London. Long ago demolished but fondly remembered as my families first real home and probably the happiest....Nowadays everyone seems to live in a "property" and we're all too worried about it's value to enjoy it as a home.....