Say hello to Barratt Homes' 'Brixton Square' on Coldharbour Lane (old Cooltan site)

[simonSW2]

*Kevin off of Grand Designs Voice*

Note the sublime post-modern irony the architect has employed by choosing to use this particular gate as a feature, the style and materials all carefully chosen to make reference to the local heritage landmark; Brixton Prison.

The architect has applied the same post-modern scheme to the design of the building by naming the blocks "Windrush", "Academy", "Ritzy", "Brady" and "Village".

If the idea is to provide people with an imagined, sanitised and un-lived connection to the locality, I have to say it rather works.

I'll come back in three years and see how they got on.

 

[CH1]

I have started to look at David Harvey work to get out of the impasse here about gated communities.

Its not easy but he does say debt bondage is no accident. He says in traditional marxism the "rentier" class has been overlooked. It has become more important now. I think it has something to do with the declining rate of profit. In Capitalism this is inherent. So ever new ways are found to make a profit. Capitalism is unstable and goes through periodic crises. You do not have to be a marxist to see that Capitalism is unstable system. Keynes tried to regulate it. So does the present Chinese government. Harvey comes from a background in urban geography. He also does work on the idea of "The Right to the City" and what he calls in general terms the "commons" rather than ever increasing private ownership. Started reading this article about his work.

This looks promising - though I haven't studied it in depth in my present late night state. I am a devotee of Professor Steve Keen - whose preoccupation is Debt Deflation. If amounts to a similar thing really. SK is saying that the banking system requires citizens to take on ever increasing amounts of debt in order to provide banking profits. Therefore they have also moved into student loans etc as well as the present ludicrous super-large mortgages supported by Osborne's first time buyer schemes.

 

[leanderman]

Was I attacking Barratts for owning the land? No.

The demise of building social housing and the increasing use of the "free market" to supply housing has failed. There will not be a chance of good quality affordable housing if its left to developers and buy to let merchants. Its not in there interest.

This hasn’t stopped this government giving them a helping hand with its new "Build To Rent" scheme. See here.

I don’t know when it was sold off.

On the Somerleyton road site the Council has taken the decision to retain ownership of the freehold. Belatedly (some) politicians have realized that selling off land is not a good idea.

Forms of land ownership change over time. Technically land in this country is held by the Crown. Homeowners are "Freeholders" not absolute owners.

Is that true, even technically?

At its height, after the still-felt Conquest, I thought Crown land was about 70 per cent or so

And now they own only the Crown Estate and some sea beds etc.

Technically Buck House is ours.

Let's get it back!

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Its a grey area what powers private security guards have in law.

I was taking some photos of a building in the City a while back from the public street and had a security guard try and stop me. According to him I could not just go around photographing buildings in the City without permission. I told him where to go. They try it on sometimes.

I observed the unfortunate spectacle of a security guard from the place where I work harassing a photographer who was trying to take some pictures of people against the facade of the building - while subject and photographer were standing in public places, of course. I'm afraid to say that I just walked past and went back in to my desk. It's supposedly a "creative" sort of company that encourages artists, too.

 

[quimcunx]

I was at an event on the right to the city the other week Gramsci , you might have liked but it didn't occur to me to let you know about it.

*Kevin off of Grand Designs Voice*

Note the sublime post-modern irony the architect has employed by choosing to use this particular gate as a feature, the style and materials all carefully chosen to make reference to the local heritage landmark; Brixton Prison.

The architect has applied the same post-modern scheme to the design of the building by naming the blocks "Windrush", "Academy", "Ritzy", "Brady" and "Village".

If the idea is to provide people with an imagined, sanitised and un-lived connection to the locality, I have to say it rather works.

I'll come back in three years and see how they got on.

Brixton prison doesn't have a gate.

 

[CH1]

Brixton prison doesn't have a gate.

Of course not..

 

[ViolentPanda]

Is that true, even technically?

At its height, after the still-felt Conquest, I thought Crown land was about 70 per cent or so

And now they own only the Crown Estate and some sea beds etc.

Technically Buck House is ours.

Let's get it back!

In law all land in the UK (whether owned by the Duke of Westminster, the Anglican Church or Farmer Palmer) is (if I recall the phrase properly) "held for the Crown". Freehold belongs to the holder as long as the Crown wishes it to, and that in terms of freeholds, more than 4/5ths of that land is owned by about 200 families (whether in a straight manner or through various trust mechanisms).
Freehold, however, is (as is leasehold) a tenure, not "superior ownership", which is what the Crown holds

same old same old, basically. Cahill's "Who Owns Britain" was a very informative book on these matters. Odd that it never got reprinted after the 1st edition, given how quickly it sold out....

The Crown also owns swathes of the Commonwealth through "superior ownership", too.

 

[leanderman]

In law all land in the UK (whether owned by the Duke of Westminster, the Anglican Church or Farmer Palmer) is (if I recall the phrase properly) "held for the Crown". Freehold belongs to the holder as long as the Crown wishes it to, and that in terms of freeholds, more than 4/5ths of that land is owned by about 200 families (whether in a straight manner or through various trust mechanisms).
Freehold, however, is (as is leasehold) a tenure, not "superior ownership", which is what the Crown holds

same old same old, basically. Cahill's "Who Owns Britain" was a very informative book on these matters. Odd that it never got reprinted after the 1st edition, given how quickly it sold out....

The Crown also owns swathes of the Commonwealth through "superior ownership", too.

Good stuff.

They are our monarchs as long as it pleases us.

Crown owns Canada but again it is theoretical.

I really don't think it means anything.

However, the Norman Conquest is an event I lament daily.

 

[Gramsci]

Good stuff.

They are our monarchs as long as it pleases us.

Crown owns Canada but again it is theoretical.

I really don't think it means anything.

However, the Norman Conquest is an event I lament daily.

It does still mean something in the sense that the aristocracy still own large amounts of land. Like the Duke of Westminster and Prince of Wales.

ViolentPanda mentions of Cahill. This article shows that land ownership is factor in lack of housing. Also shows that periodically who owns land and who controls it has been political issue. Such as the right to roam. There is not much of a public debate about it at present. Surprisingly given the housing crisis. None of the three main parties question it. Only the Green party make it an issue.

The control of land needs to be wrestled away from the land-owning elite and land made available for houses, to resurrect the environment and to enable access for all. The principles of Winstanley and the Diggers still hold true today: ‘Therefore we require and resolve to take both the common lands and the common woods to be a livelihood for us, and look upon you as equal with us, not above us, knowing very well that England, the land or our nativity, is to be common treasury of livelihood to all, without respects of persons’

 

[ViolentPanda]

Good stuff.

They are our monarchs as long as it pleases us.

Unfortunately, unless we liquidate them, history tells us that when they no longer "please" us, some other schmucks with an agenda will still back them to retain their figurehead status.

Crown owns Canada but again it is theoretical.

No, it really isn't theoretical. The Crown owns all that land, and in addition holds the freehold for about 16% of the actual territories of the Commonwealth, so they're not only the final owner, but the beneficial owner of a significant minority of the land, too.

I really don't think it means anything.

However, the Norman Conquest is an event I lament daily.

It's the rabbits that REALLY piss me off.

 

[AKA pseudonym]

I can see some 'tests' of what is public space near Brixton Square coming soon....

 

[Bandit78]

I am pretty worried about the huge 4 bedroom flats that they have reserved for the council at BS.These are large 4 bed properties which are on the ground floor and incorporate the basement on a split level.I can see huge families going into these and it only takes one to spoil the whole complex for everyone.Im sure those who have already purchased or are about to don't know the full extent of the properties that have been reserved for the council.It was never mentioned at any time that these 4 bedroom apartments of which there are a considerable number on the ground floor would be going to the council.Its funny that the rest of the block has been completed and these have been left till last,too late for all those people have completed on their apartments and taken on huge mortgages.Im seriously having second thoughts now about living here now,I can see trouble ahead!

 

[quimcunx]

Lol.

 

[Crispy]

I am pretty worried about the huge 4 bedroom flats that they have reserved for the council at BS.These are large 4 bed properties which are on the ground floor and incorporate the basement on a split level.I can see huge families going into these and it only takes one to spoil the whole complex for everyone.Im sure those who have already purchased or are about to don't know the full extent of the properties that have been reserved for the council.It was never mentioned at any time that these 4 bedroom apartments of which there are a considerable number on the ground floor would be going to the council.Its funny that the rest of the block has been completed and these have been left till last,too late for all those people have completed on their apartments and taken on huge mortgages.Im seriously having second thoughts now about living here now,I can see trouble ahead!

cunt

 

[Dan U]

X2

 

[Manter]

Troll. Surely

 

[peterkro]

X eleventy!!!!!

 

[JAC2013]

An awful attempt there by one of the anti-BS brigade there to stir up a bit more dislike.


The sales office had a clear site plan of all the blocks with the private, shared ownership and affordable rent marked on it, so when you had a look at the various flats you knew the breakdown of each block exactly. A ridiculous comment.

 

[Strangerdanger]

An awful attempt there by one of the anti-BS brigade there to stir up a bit more dislike.


The sales office had a clear site plan of all the blocks with the private, shared ownership and affordable rent marked on it, so when you had a look at the various flats you knew the breakdown of each block exactly. A ridiculous comment.

Exactly. That person is either a troll...or not too bright.

 

[Strangerdanger]

I am pretty worried about the huge 4 bedroom flats that they have reserved for the council at BS.These are large 4 bed properties which are on the ground floor and incorporate the basement on a split level.I can see huge families going into these and it only takes one to spoil the whole complex for everyone.Im sure those who have already purchased or are about to don't know the full extent of the properties that have been reserved for the council.It was never mentioned at any time that these 4 bedroom apartments of which there are a considerable number on the ground floor would be going to the council.Its funny that the rest of the block has been completed and these have been left till last,too late for all those people have completed on their apartments and taken on huge mortgages.Im seriously having second thoughts now about living here now,I can see trouble ahead!

If you click back a few pages you will see that I pointed out although there should have been more affordable units, the units that are there are at least very nice - with balconies and a stairway leading to a lower ground terrace. So unfortunately, it seems that YOU are the ONLY one who bought a flat with out reading through all of the info, as the rest of us looked through the drawings and plans.

*shrugs*

 

[editor]

An awful attempt there by one of the anti-BS brigade there to stir up a bit more dislike.

The what 'brigade'?

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

There aren't even any council flats in BS are there? They're 'affordable.'

Shit troll anyway.

 

[Belushi]

Imagine moving to Brixton and discovering you might have to share the neighbourhood with people in social housing..

 

[Bandit78]

I looked at the plans,but it was never made clear that the biggest apartments that were in BS were going to be Affordable rent Accommodation.I do know what I'm talking about and you will see when all the huge families start moving in with loads of children and the whole place starts going down the pan,maybe you should wake up and smell the coffee!!

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

I looked at the plans,but it was never made clear that the biggest apartments that were in BS were going to be Affordable rent Accommodation.I do know what I'm talking about and you will see when all the huge families start moving in with loads of children and the whole place starts going down the pan,maybe you should wake up and smell the coffee!!

 

[Strangerdanger]

I looked at the plans,but it was never made clear that the biggest apartments that were in BS were going to be Affordable rent Accommodation.I do know what I'm talking about and you will see when all the huge families start moving in with loads of children and the whole place starts going down the pan,maybe you should wake up and smell the coffee!!

I dont want to be rude here, but was made clear to anyone who could read.

What exactly is your issue with large families living here? It doesn't matter where you live in London, there will always be large families around. I suggest you build a bridge and get over it, because quite frankly YOU sound like more of a problem neighbour than the large families...

 

[peterkro]

I looked at the plans,but it was never made clear that the biggest apartments that were in BS were going to be Affordable rent Accommodation.I do know what I'm talking about and you will see when all the huge families start moving in with loads of children and the whole place starts going down the pan,maybe you should wake up and smell the coffee!!

I suggest anybody that uses the phrase "you should wake up and smell the coffee" is a cunt of the highest order.

 

[Bandit78]

I dont want to be rude here, but was made clear to anyone who could read.

What exactly is your issue with large families living here? It doesn't matter where you live in London, there will always be large families around. I suggest you build a bridge and get over it, because quite frankly YOU sound like more of a problem neighbour than the large families...

Do you live there then?? I can read perfectly well,I wasn't made aware at any stage via the hub team that 4 Bedroom properties were being given to affordable rent.I was fully aware there were going to be affordable rent accommodation but nobody was made aware of the size of these properties that were being allocated for this purpose.I don't think that BS suits large families With loads of children and teenagers.Its highly likely that they will be bringing all their friends in too.It will ruin this as a nice place to live especially after how much these places cost.Next summer in the courtyard should prove very interesting!

 

[Belushi]

Do you live there then?? I can read perfectly well,I wasn't made aware at any stage via the hub team that 4 Bedroom properties were being given to affordable rent.I was fully aware there were going to be affordable rent accommodation but nobody was made aware of the size of these properties that were being allocated for this purpose.I don't think that BS suits large families With loads of children and teenagers.Its highly likely that they will be bringing all their friends in too.It will ruin this as a nice place to live especially after how much these places cost.Next summer in the courtyard should prove very interesting!

 

[editor]

Next summer in the courtyard should prove very interesting!

Rip down the gates and let the community in!