'Social housing, not social cleansing!' Learning from community campaigns

Everyone is welcome at this free event to:

• Reflect on community campaigns for social housing and social justice in Haringey
• Celebrate the launch of a book about the Stop Haringey Development Vehicle campaign, written by UCL researchers Dr Amy Horton and Dr Joe Penny, and informed by interviews with local residents
• Take part in a creative workshop to share our ideas and ambitions for our neighbourhoods

Agenda

1.30pm - Arrivals with refreshments

2pm - Welcome by StopHDV campaigners. Presentation and discussion of the book

3pm - Creative workshop on your experiences of campaigning or hopes for the future of London

4pm - Drinks 

The book: Disrupting the Speculative City: Property, power and community resistance in London 

The book is free to download here or you can buy a print copy with 20% off using code UCL24LSM586L. Books will be sold for £15 (cash) at the event on 29 September.

Disrupting the Speculative City tells the story of how a community coalition defeated one of the most ambitious programmes of state-led gentrification in London. Known as the ‘Haringey Development Vehicle’ (HDV), it would have been executed through an undemocratic and speculative joint venture between the local council and the notorious international developer Lendlease. Thanks to the creativity and commitment of ordinary people, the HDV was scrapped by the local council in 2018. Drawing on the accounts of those at the heart of the struggle and analysing crucial developments in property investment, local statecraft and grassroots organising, this book explores a significant and inspirational success for campaigners in London, where social cleansing has become the default outcome of redevelopment.

‘This book successfully combines rigorous research and political clarity. Through their chronicle of an important urban struggle in North London, the authors speak to broader issues about power, politics and development. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of urban planning, urban geography and social movements, as well as to anyone trying to understand the contradictions of urbanism today.’ 
David Madden, LSE

(Photo: Clive Carter)