Plans for a £20m facelift of the Aylesbury estate in south London are to be drawn up by consultant Levitt Bernstein and architect Pollard Thomas Edwards.
The pair, in association with cost consultant BPTW, have been handed the task of designing improvement to public spaces and communal facilities in the south-west corner of the estate.

Southwark council hopes the project will pilot changes for the rest of estate, the largest council housing complex in Europe.

Levitt Bernstein will investigate the provision of additional housing on the estate and tackle concerns raised by residents about underused open spaces and walkways.

The improvements were promised last year in the Aylesbury Manifesto.

The manifesto was launched in August by Southwark council and Aylesbury New Deal for Communities after tenants rejected proposals to transfer 2700 homes to Faraday Housing Association (HT 10 January 2002, page 6).

Councillor Caroline Pidgeon, deputy leader of Southwark council, said: "Aylesbury residents have made it very clear how much they value and want to keep their homes, but they have also given us a clear message that much needs to change.

"[This] is the first step towards transforming the estate into a cleaner, safer and better place to live."

The finalised plans are to be completed by March and design work will begin by early summer, subject to New Deal approval.

Source

Housing Today