Thousands of Peckham residents have signed a petition to protest a plan to develop thousands of homes on a beloved shopping centre site.

Petition ‘We say NO! to Berkeley Homes‘ plan for Peckham’, started by Aylesham Community Action a week ago, has gained over 1,800 signatures of residents protesting the development on the Aylesham Shopping Centre site.   

Berkley Homes has angered the community with its plans to bulldoze the current shopping site and replace it with 10,500 square metres of new shops, leisure and workspace along with 1,050 high-quality new homes.       

Berkley Homes, which purchased the site in July 2021, published their “masterplan” for the site in November this year.     

The site, much loved by Peckham residents, opened in 1988 and has been the heart of the Peckham community with it being a hotspot for small and independent businesses since its opening.     

Aylesham Community Action, as well as residents of Peckham, have criticised the plan claiming “65% of homes will be unaffordable to most local people”.     

They also criticised the plans for their inconsideration as to the “impact on smaller businesses within the community”.      
On November 30, Cllr James McAsh, Cabinet Member for the Climate Emergency and Sustainable Development, published a statement on behalf of Southwark Council explaining how the development of new homes and investment to businesses is essential to the area.  

They reassured the residents of Peckham: “The Aylesham is at the heart of the Peckham community and it’s essential any new development works for that community.

 “It’s clear that the current plans aren’t good enough, so we will continue to work with Berkeley Homes and the wider community to ensure that any development on this site delivers the needs of local people, as set out in our planning policies.”   

Berkley homes have maintained their position that their masterplan is being formed in ‘continued conversation with the community’ about their vision.