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Old Kent Road march demands council housing and protection for local communities

We supported around 200 Housing and community activists from a range of groups including SHAPE Coalition and Save Old Kent Road. We marched down The Old Kent Road 25 April 2026. The area is under threat from overdevelopment and the erasure of local traders – including many from the global majority – and vital cultural spaces.

We want 100% council housing on council land, 50% council housing on private land. The Old Kent Road Area Action Plan does not prioritise council housing or local communities. It is a developers’ charter.

Speakers on the demonstration included Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth, PCS SELLS Branch, Latin Elephant, Stand up to Racism, Aylesham Community Action and Southwark Acorn.

Local people are calling for:
🔥Homes for people not for profit
🔥Council housing, not luxury flats
🔥Stop overdevelopment
🔥Protect local traders and cultural spaces

YouTube video of Save OKR demonstration (2.4 min)

Follow SHAPE COALITION on Instagram

The next protest will be outside Southwark Council’s offices:

SHAPE Morning protest outside start of Old Kent Road Area Action Plan Examination in Public
Tuesday 9 June, 9am to 10am @ Council Offices, 160 Tooley St, SE1 2TZ
The Examination in Public is where the Council brings their plan to the Planning Inspector who will approve or reject it. Supporters of the Plan and objectors will have a chance to speak. We will be outside in support of objectors to show the Council that the community won’t accept more social cleansing.
Please check details before you come in case of any changes.
https://www.ayleshamcommunityaction.co.uk/SHAPE

Credit: pics and video https://www.instagram.com/davgilz/

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Southwark housing and planning activists to demonstrate on Sat 25 April

Stop Social cleansing!
Demonstration Saturday 25 April
March down Old Kent Road!
Assemble 12pm, Michael Faraday Memorial (opp. Elephant & Castle Tube, Northern Line entrance)

Save Old Kent Road and SHAPE Coalition helped to organise the planning bloc on the successful National Housing Demonstration on 18 April and they are planning the Save Old Kent Road demonstration on 25 April. Homes for All urges all housing and planning campaigners to join them. They are on the frontline of the developer-led destruction of communities, and they have a record of holding local politicians to account.

Bus down Old Kent Road
SHAPE and Save OKR hired an old London Bus to tour Old Kent Road demanding Southwark Council alter the Old Kent Road Area Action Plan and increase the amount of social rented housing and protect local businesses and traders. They are urging Councillors to support changes to benefit local people before the plan goes to Examination in Public in June.

The current plan amounts to social cleansing – with 20,000 new homes, but only 5,000 social rented, maximum. The second half of the 20,000 homes is dependent on the Bakerloo Line Extension, but the funding for that is not yet secured. There is no commitment on the number of new council homes and a dozen towers of over 20 storeys are going to be mostly not affordable, with an unlimited amount of student housing.

Campaigners are also concerned about the lack of protection for well-loved cultural spaces and the removal of industrial land and traders – to be replaced by flats.

The plan could end up pushing more working-class people out of the area.

Save Old Kent Road said:
“In 2021, Southwark Council themselves found that 93% of people in Southwark require either social or affordable housing. Since then, things have only got worse. There are now over 22,000 households on Southwark Council’s social housing waiting list and over 10,000 people in Southwark Council temporary accommodation.
The need for genuinely affordable council housing around the Old Kent Road is extreme, but all Southwark Council have done is hand over a cheque to developers and asked them to fill in the number.
The Old Kent Road ward is the most ethnically diverse in Southwark. Instead of investing into the health of our communities, Southwark Council wants to force us out and bring in full-scale gentrification.”

SHAPE Coalition said:
We believe Southwark Council can do better. It is time to start challenging the rule of developers, as they were forced to do with the Aylesham Centre Peckham planning application, which they refused because it only proposed 12% so-called affordable housing. We have to stand together against overdevelopment of homes local people can’t afford. We are demanding homes for people, not for profit, and protection for vital local traders and cultural spaces.”

Joint demands include:
• Homes for people not for profit
• Council housing, not luxury flats
• Stop overdevelopment
• Protect local traders and cultural spaces

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Movement demonstrates unity on national housing march

Thousands marched in Central London for council housing and rent controls

The National Housing Demonstration in Central London on 18 April showed the potential to unite the many housing campaigns to demand real solutions to the housing and planning emergency. Saturday’s demonstration was biggest unity demo since people came together on the Kill the Housing Bill demo in 2016.

Homes for All was proud to be part of the organising, alongside the London Renters Union in the coalition under the Homes for Us banner.

The demo was backed by over 80 other tenants’ unions, trade unions and grassroots campaigns. There were five coaches from cities across the country and activists travelled from as far away as Newcastle and Portsmouth.

Supporters of Homes for All demanded a massive programme of council housing – including taking over empty homes – and the Planning Bloc organised by SHAPE Coalition demanded “Planning for People, Not for Profit”.

“I’m here today because as a mother, grandmother and working class person who’s been fortunate enough to benefit from council housing, I fear there won’t be affordable housing for future generations.” Molly, Homes for All organiser

Tanya from SHAPE Coalition urged people to attend the demonstration down the Old Kent Road on Saturday 25 April.

“We are facing a housing emergency and instead of making the planning system work for ordinary people, the Labour government and the Mayor of London are handing more power and public money to developers. The Mayor of London has just approved the giant Canada Water development – where the developer British Land reduced the amount of affordable housing from 35% to 3%. That’s what happens when politicians decide to work within the system, instead of challenging the system.”

Media round-up

Standard article Housing a basic need, not an investment vehicle – Zarah Sultana

Just Space article NATIONAL HOUSING DEMONSTRATION

Socialist Worker article National Housing Demo calls for rent controls and council housing

Politics Joe video Thousands of renters protest their landlords

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Take to the streets! National Housing Demonstration 18 April

National Housing Demonstration – Assemble 1pm, Saturday 18 April, Soho Square Gardens, London W1D 3QP

Homes for All is backing the protest in Central London on Saturday 18 April.

Over 60 trade unions, tenants’ groups and politicians have backed the demo demanding urgent rent controls and a new generation of accessible council homes. We are also fighting for a planning system that delivers for local communities and the environment not developer profit, and safe, secure homes so the Grenfell disaster can never happen again.

Asking rents for private tenants have risen by 44 per cent since the pandemic, while social rents and service charges continue to climb. About one in three renters now struggles to afford essentials like food and heating, and 330,000 households are currently facing homelessness.

“Politicians have forgotten the housing crisis, but people haven’t. Housing is right at the heart of the real struggles faced by so many communities around the UK. Join this demo to remind them that we need genuine answers – not just more measures to boost private profits or scapegoating immigrants.” Peter Apps, Author and Journalist

Martin Wicks of Defend Council Housing said: “The government’s strategy of planning liberalisation and reliance on the large volume private builders is doomed to fail. Social rent council housing is the key to resolving the housing crisis.”

Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn, who is supporting the action, said: “We must continue to campaign for a mass social housing programme and for private rent controls. More than 250,000 people are homeless in the UK, which is a national scandal. Housing should be a right for everyone – let’s reclaim housing as a public good for everyone.”

PDF leaflet

Housing Demo Leaflet (2)Download

Morning Start article: https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/unions-and-campaigners-unite-national-housing-demonstration-over-soaring-costs

Keep up to date with preparations!

National Housing Demonstration website: https://www.housingdemo.org/

Homes 4 All Insta https://www.instagram.com/homes4alluk/

Homes 4 All Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Homes4AllUK

Homes 4 All X https://x.com/homes4alluk

To join the Planning Bloc on the demonstration, contact SHAPE

SHAPE Coalition Insta: https://www.instagram.com/shapecoalition/

Our main demands:

  • Planning for people, not for profit
  • Stop letting developers write the plan
  • People and planet first
  • Stop overdevelopment
  • Homes for the many, not the few

Government should use genuine ‘brownfield’ sites and empty homes for new housing not green spaces or green belt.

Communities must be central to local decision-making in planning.

We have to stop unaffordable housing in unsustainable developments, ruining established neighbourhoods, communities, heritage, local businesses and green spaces.

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Don’t let the far right hijack Christmas – Jesus was a refugee!

We joined the Stand up to Racism counter demonstration 13 Dec 2025

Migrants didn’t cause the housing emergency!

We supported Stand up to Racism, Care for Calais and church groups to oppose the ‘choir service’ organised by Tommy Robinson. We are appalled that he and his far right supporters attempted to hijack Christmas to spread their message of hate.

We loved the moving and inspiring songs by Billy Bragg – especially the new one channelling Woody Guthrie.

Jesus was a refugee.

Outsiders welcome.

Homes for People – Not for Profit!

Everyone deserves a home they can afford.

Housing is a human right!

#standuptoracism

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Homes for All discussed the government’s social and affordable homes programme 

Homes for All discussed the government’s social and affordable homes programme.

Martin Wicks from Labour Campaign for Council Housing introduced an assessment of the government’s social and affordable homes programme with Q&A. He set out all the reasons why it would not bring an end to the housing and homelessness crisis.

With comments questions and insights from a wide range of housing campaigners and activists.

Watch video on YouTube (32 mins)

Read more: Social & Affordable Homes Programme – a flawed programme which will not solve the housing crisis

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Planning a national demonstration

On 1 November Homes for All hosted a working group to help build a national housing and planning demonstration in March 2026.

The demonstration has been called in partnership with London Renters Union and Homes for Us. At the Homes for All meeting 16 delegate/s representing 14 groups agreed to maintain a working group as an adjunct the main steering group.

We believe this will contribute to building the demo on wider demands including council housing and planning for communities, the environment and people, which the above groups/unions also represent and support.

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No to 10 Years of Above Inflation Rent Increases – Call out to groups and organisations

Paul Burnham, Haringey Defend Council Housing and Martin Wicks, Labour Campaign for Council Housing are seeking support for their statement / petition.

“Rent convergence” is being presented like it’s a done deal. It means massive rent increases for those in social rented and council housing, and higher benefit bills for the government. We must oppose it.

STATEMENT

We are asking tenants organisations and housing campaigns to support the statement which opposes ‘social rent convergence’ and 10 years of CPI+1% rent increases, for council and housing association tenants.

As the statement says this will impoverish already poor tenants who do not have all their rent covered by housing benefit. We will need to campaign for these policies to be overturned. Making tenants pay for the under-funding of council housing revenue accounts, and the indebtedness and commercialisation of housing associations, is a substitute for adequate central government funding. These increases are guaranteed to drive up rent arrears.

The government’s own impact assessment says that a ÂŁ2 a week convergence payment will cost the Exchequer ÂŁ4 billion in increased benefit payments. That makes no sense.

We are looking at the possibility of a meeting on this theme, in the House of Commons in November. In October we will know what the September inflation figure is, which will determine next April’s maximum rent increase.

If you support this statement, please add your organisation’s name to the statement/petition.

Paul Burnham, Haringey Defend Council Housing

Martin Wicks, Labour Campaign for Council Housing

Supporters also include (20/12/2025)

Jessica Field, independent researcher and author, Andrea Egan, UNISON Gen Sec elect, Fire Brigades Union, Greater Manchester Tenants Union, Haringey & Barnet UNITE Community, Haringey DCH, Brent West CLP, Haringey & Barnet UNITE Community, National Pensioners Convention, Gloucestershire, Avon & Somerset, Lindsey German, Convenor of Stop the War Coalition, Kevin Courtney, former joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, Diane Abbott, MP, Imran Hussein, MP, Rachael Maskell, MP, Brian Leishman, MP, Apsana Begum MP, John Moloney, Assistant General Secretary PCS in p/c, John McDonnell, MP, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Clive Lewis MP, Richard Burgon, MP, BAFAWU (Bakers Union), Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Labour Campaign for Council Housing, Streets Kitchen, UNITE Community National Housing Group, Somerset & North Devon UNITE Community, UNITE housing Workers Branch LE1111, Unite Community National Housing Group, Paula Barker, MP, Neil Duncan-Jordan, MP, Glyn Oliver, Branch secretary, Unite Community Southampton, Jackson Caines, Housing Campaigner, Harrow Law Centre, Housing Action Teeside, Kim Johnson MP, Jon Trickett MP, Brighton and Hove Housing Coalition, Chris Hinchliff MP

Sign the statement / petition

Labour Campaign for Council Housing

Haringey Defend Council Housing

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Don’t let racist Reform UK divide us. We need rent controls not migration controls

As housing campaigners and organisations, we denounce the racist lies and distortions put out by Reform UK and others about the roots of the housing crisis.

Nigel Farage’s party tries to blame migrants and refugees for the lack of housing and soaring rents. It demands a “UK Connection test” for social housing, and insists that “foreign nationals must go to the back of the queue”.

It’s a recipe for intensified attacks on migrants, but also anyone who is perceived not to be “White British”.

At the same time Reform UK panders to big developers and landlords.

It wants tax handouts and “loose fit planning”: to allow developers to impose their schemes on local people. And it pushes to scrap the 2019 tax changes that limited mortgage interest relief for landlords.

As David McLennan, “30 years in the property sector, now preparing to stand as candidate for Reform Scotland in upcoming elections” said, “We’re very much a landlords’ party”.

It’s true that the party doesn’t back renters. It opposes an end to Section 21 “no fault evictions”.

Migrants are not over-represented in social housing.

Around 90 percent of social housing residents are UK nationals, the same as the makeup of the national population. 17 percent of people born in the UK live in social housing, compared to 18 percent of people not born in the UK.

The housing crisis is because of a decades-long failure to build council housing, and planning laws that let developers build for profit, not people’s needs. We need rent controls, not more migration controls and deportations.
Unless Reform UK’s lies are challenged, they will increasingly be taken up by other parties, and the Labour government.

We call for the rejection of all forms of racism and discrimination in the housing sector and society in general. We say don’t blame refugees for the problems in society.

Homes for All is a coalition of housing campaigners, tenants, solidarity groups and the labour & Trade Union Movement. Formed during the campaign against the Housing & Planning Act, 2015. Rent Controls, Housing and Planning for People not for Profit. Council housing is the only solution to the housing crisis.

HFA_housing-v-racism_leaflet_Sept2025_A5_4pp_SPREADSDownload