# Heygate Estate, Elephant and Castle July '12



## prettyvacant71 (Oct 4, 2012)

Hello peeps

Walking around this near ghost town had a rather surreal feeling about it at times. As only 3 residents still remain here as they are refusing to move out because the money that Southwark Council is offering them couldn’t rent them a shed for a year in Southwark, means the estate is technically not derelict, yet it certainly feels it deserted. The exception to this is a small communal garden where the surviving residents have planted vegetables and a small group of friendly protesters have set up some boarding with an exhibition of photographs from the local papers, planning apps etc detailing the hypocrisy of the local council with its plans for affordable housing, demolishing the estate and how the compensation offered to the 3 home owners is nowhere near enough for them to purchase the “new affordable housing” of the Strata Tower, even if they all clubbed together!

I spent a couple of hours on the estate wondering around and taking pics, it’s become an urban playground for squirrels as they practise free running from the bridges, I saw a few humans having a go at it too and every now and then I would see a small group of locals using the estate as a short cut onto the New Kent Rd.... whilst one-legged pigeons rest on the many high walkways, other than that the estate appeared lifeless or more accurately, soulless...apart from the activity of the remaining owners and protestors providing the only signs of life. As night fell the place took on a totally different atmosphere, the emergency lighting lit up some of the staircases where the remaining residents lived and the rest of the estate fell into darkness, illuminated only by the fall out of the neighbouring street lamps.

A little history....

The Heygate Estate was built in 1974 in Walworth, Southwark, south London and was home for more than 3,000 people. In 2004 a Southwark Council regeneration master plan for The Elephant and Castle area included the demolition of the estate. 
The estate is well known for being one of the starkest examples of post-war urban decay in the UK. The concept behind its construction was one of a modern living environment. The neo-brutalist architecture aesthetic was one of tall, concrete blocks dwarfing smaller ones, surrounding central communal gardens. The architect Tim Tinker’s concept was to link all areas of the estate via concrete bridges, so there was no real reason for residents to walk on pavements or along roads. 
Once a popular place to live, the flats being thought of as light and spacious, but the estate later developed a reputation for crime, poverty and dilapidation. Residents complained about constant noise, crime and threats of violence. The sheer scale of the blocks also meant there was little sense of community, by 2000’s the estate had fallen into severe disrepair.
Due to the Heygate’s location and urban decay it has been extensively used as a filming and music video location. 76 films have been made on the estate from 2007-2010, earning Southwark Council £91,000 in royalties.
Local residents are alarmed that the new regeneration plans contain no commitment to a minimum level of affordable housing and have lodged their objections. The complete demolition of the estate means the area will be redeveloped with 2,500 new homes, costing £8.5 m to demolish the estate with £35m needed to rehouse the residents. Part of the £1.5 billion regeneration project of The Elephant and Castle includes the new high rise block Strata Tower, which has been criticised for pricing out local residents, luxury apartments start at a huge £850,000.

April 2011 demolition started and then was abruptly halted due to the high amounts of asbestos found within the estates construction.
















New Kent Rd from one of the Heygate’s walkways




























Walkways link areas of housing to each other and the shops














One of the remaining residents a trader



















































































Communal gardens






















































































































































Lighting on around the kids playground
























Shops on the estate






Well thanks for lookin... safe splores folks


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## John_D (Oct 4, 2012)

Stunning set of pics, thanks for posting


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## night crawler (Oct 5, 2012)

Think you dipicted that place well, just reminds me why I live where I do out in the sticks. Thanks for postings


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## the_man_1984 (Oct 5, 2012)

Excellent post. Remember walking past this estate when I used to visit my nan as a kid. Cheers for sharing.


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## Bones out (Oct 5, 2012)

We were stuck in the car in a jam outside here coming back for some derps a short while ago and wondered what it was looking like inside now.

Nice snaps mate


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## Stussy (Oct 5, 2012)

I think they should have renamed this place hellsgate! Nice set, thanks for sharing!


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## flyboys90 (Oct 5, 2012)

Superb report & photos.


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## Ninja Kitten (Oct 6, 2012)

gosh how desolate..what a weird place..brilliantly captured felt like i was walking round there...


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## SNAKEBITE (Oct 6, 2012)

I cannot imagine being the last ones there.

Taking stubborn to a whole new level.


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## UEP-Wales (Oct 6, 2012)

Fantastic shots and location...reminds me of my old home away from home!

Cheers for posting them up dude


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## fannyadams (Oct 6, 2012)

Fabulous report. Love it!


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## Sshhhh... (Oct 6, 2012)

How creepy. Great report and pics


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## Pen15 (Oct 6, 2012)

You have really captured the mood well. Thanks for sharing. Love the write up too


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## steve2109 (Oct 15, 2012)

Loving the B&W shots, really adds a gritty feel to urban shots, thanks for sharing


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## Keeleyrox777 (Jan 10, 2013)

prettyvacant71 said:


> Hello peeps
> 
> Walking around this near ghost town had a rather surreal feeling about it at times. As only 3 residents still remain here as they are refusing to move out because the money that Southwark Council is offering them couldn’t rent them a shed for a year in Southwark, means the estate is technically not derelict, yet it certainly feels it deserted. The exception to this is a small communal garden where the surviving residents have planted vegetables and a small group of friendly protesters have set up some boarding with an exhibition of photographs from the local papers, planning apps etc detailing the hypocrisy of the local council with its plans for affordable housing, demolishing the estate and how the compensation offered to the 3 home owners is nowhere near enough for them to purchase the “new affordable housing” of the Strata Tower, even if they all clubbed together!
> 
> ...



Wow! Im new to this forum I think your pics are brilliant I like the way the double decker is blurred Id have sped thru there at warp speed too ;o)


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 10, 2013)

Great photography! What camera are you using?


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## explorer101 (Jan 10, 2013)

liking the shots 

L x


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## PaulPowers (Jan 10, 2013)

I thought this was already flat

Cracking report


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