Camden Council has commissioned a private company called Mount Anvil to put three skyscrapers of up to 26 storeys on the Bacton site. They claim this is to address the housing crisis in Camden. But out of the 447 flats they want to build in total, only 23% (104 units) will be council homes, crammed at the bottom of the towers. There are no guarantees that this number won’t get smaller as they start building. 75% (333 units) will be private flats for sale, most of which won’t be affordable to local residents.
There used to be 99 flats in low-rise blocks on the Bacton site, which were demolished in 2018. Almost 90% of those were council flats. Camden originally planned to redevelop the site themselves and build 247 low-rise homes.
There used to be 99 flats in low-rise blocks on the Bacton site, which were demolished in 2018. Almost 90% of those were council flats. Camden originally planned to redevelop the site themselves and build 247 low-rise homes.
Now, we are looking at an additional, predominantly private, 200 flats put on a very small site leaving very little room for green space and play areas for children. The majority of the flats planned will be 1-2 beds, which won’t help families, especially those who are stuck in overcrowded accommodation and want to move. Meanwhile, the significant increase in housing density will have a real impact on current residents who will likely see their rents go up, struggle even more to get a GP appointment or a seat on the bus, and have their light taken away by the tall towers.
What’s more, it appears a key driver behind this increased density is the fact that Mount Anvil has entered into an agreement Camden on the basis that they would provide a large cash payment for use of the land. Mount Anvil will therefore now need to make a very large return on the development for it to be viable, and this will be funded through increased numbers of private homes. The net result is that public land is now being overdeveloped for private gain.
An overview of the history and proposal of the site can be found in our slideshow:
The proposal has raised questions about the balance between private development interests and the needs of the community, especially considering the substantial increase in private dwellings compared to those available for social rent. Such high-density developments will exacerbate issues like overcrowding and strain on local resources and infrastructure such as parking, transport, schools and doctor’s surgeries, in an already challenged and deprived community.
The Bacton Low Rise proposal will lead to significant challenges and damage related to community identity, housing affordability, and the overall impact on the local environment and existing residents. We do not support the building of large numbers of private homes in order to provide developer profit. We demand a return to direct delivery with a better mix of homes, to better meet the needs of local people.
For further information, please see:
Bacton Towers Action 