Essay on the reasons behind Elephant and Castle’s current and ongoing gentrification
The Elephant and Castle development framework established by the Southwark Plan, part of the greater London Plan, aims to serve as a guide for the future development of Elephant and Castle. The aim of the plan is to ensure the regeneration of Elephant and Castle by 2014. An estimated investment of £1.5bn will be spent on new retail and open spaces, improved transport, new and replacement homes, new commercial and educational facilities and a new civic centre for Southwark.
The regeneration will essentially focus upon a series of character areas (Southwark Council, 2004). The regeneration as such, indeed it is the stated aim of the plan, will radically transform Elephant and Castle over the next few years. This in itself constitutes a gentrification process, with the end-game likely to be a more up-market version of present Elephant and Castle. The physical, economic, social and cultural impact of gentrification (Hamnett, 1984) upon local inhabitants is likely to be significant, particularly in terms of higher house prices and a growth of middle-class services (trendy cafes, bars, delicatessens, health and fitness clubs etc).
In the Elephant and Castle development framework, Southwark Council focus on providing new buildings and facilities, including new homes, shops, restaurants, leisure, hotel, cultural and educational facilities. A second major theme of the plan is the provision of public spaces, which includes a new market square and upgrading of existing spaces. The final major aspect of the regeneration plan is improvements in transport, which are to include a new Northern Line. The overall regeneration process will establish six character areas: Walworth High Street extension (north and south); The Civic Square; The Railway Arches and Market Square; The Town Park; Heygate Boulevard and St Mary’s Churchyard. The planned major regeneration constitutes a significant visible transformation of Elephant and Castle. Hamnett (1991) declares…
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Tags: development, Elephant and Castle, gentrification, inner city, investment, Northern Line, urban culture
