The Land Is Yours.. What’s it worth to you?
For those currently occupying Yorkley Court Community Farm in the Forest of Dean, it is their life blood, it is their home, it is where they get their water, where they get their fuel for cooking and warmth, it’s where they grow food and forage from natures bounty, it is where they meet each other and do tasks together, it’s where they learn from one another and it’s where they celebrate and laugh together.
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Tenant evictions at record levels in England and Wales – London worst hit Worst shortage of affordable housing in history – Rough sleeping in London more than doubled over six years
The Property Awards are to be held on the 21st April at the Grosvenor Hotel in London. This is a callout to everyone who believes that property developers should not be congratulating each other for the profits they have made on the back of mass gentrification in London.
“The Awards will celebrate and reward excellence in 19 categories to the individuals and companies who have significantly impacted the property market in the past. The Property Awards are the UK’s leading and most prestigious annual Awards dedicated to the property industry.”
London is en route to becoming a playground for the rich elite – a process expedited by property developers. Assessing every possible opportunity for expensive, luxury flats to be built, property developers are buying up social and private housing and commercial spaces at all costs, to ensure considerable profit can be made. The social cost of this process is that poor, disadvantaged and vulnerable people/groups are being evicted, made homeless and/or are relocated, and important community spaces are disappearing. [Read More]
Jane from Stratford, East London, and her daughter were evicted from their home last month by scumbag social-cleansing landlords Newham Council. Last Saturday (11 April) she took direct action and re-occupied her flat with support from friends from the local housing action group Focus E15 group. [Read More]
So, far now the security thugs have stepped down after a 15hour siege. The security guards woke us up at 5am and they illegally entered our home. We swiftly acted and informed them about the law and legislation that they should have been following. After we ushered them out they maintained their presence and blocked the front and back doors, denying people access all day. By this time our friends and comrades were on their way to help and together we successfully made them stand down after an intense stand off. Today highlighted that unity is strength and when people stand together we can overcome intimidation and win important victories. We are still here, in this huge building, that before us, sat here dormant collecting dust in the middle of a supposed “housing crisis”. Bollocks to that! The building now is an activist hub and a free home. Free from bailiffs, landlords and the ruling class. We one day hope that all of society will be arranged like this, free from all hierarchy and domination. [Read More]
The Leeds Community Project has occupied experimental gardens owned by Leeds University and due to be sold for private investment and housing
RESISTANCE IS FERTILE
Background
Today [April 2nd], a rabble of around 150 people tore down sections of the 8ft-tall spiked fence surrounding the Aylesbury occupation and other blocks of flats on the West of the estate (see video).
Today was also the day the court hearing for a possession order to evict the occupation. So predictable is the outcome of the legal process, that no-one bothered to pay Southwark Council’s third possession order any attention. Instead they opted for direct action.
The 700m ‘Aylesbury Alcatraz’ fence was hastily erected as a response to the successive occupations of three blocks of flats on the ‘First Development Site’. First in line to be demolished, this area is now largely depopulated. Yet the remaining tenants have been forced to live in the fortress-like conditions, with a large 24 hour security presence and long detours to a single gate in order to be let in and out. [Read More]
Sweets Way Resists responds to a predictably unfair legal decision and gets on with fighting social cleansing.
Today [March30] one of the most long-standing principles of British law was reinforced: that private property rights hold greater importance than human rights. A Barnet County Court judge decided to rule against our protest and social centre occupation on the Sweets Way estate, in favour of social cleansing property firm, Annington, even though agreeing with most of our arguments in the courtroom.
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Some bailiffs arrived this morning [March 26] as promised.. they hung around a bit and then trundled around the edge of the part of the farm we are occupying, accompanied by police and trailed by some of our fantastic team of legal observers. They were unable to gain access anywhere, presumably got a bit bored and eventually left.
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Barnet Housing Action Group are a group campaigning around housing issues in The Borough of Barnet, North London. We have been working with the Our West Hendon campaign for the past year and have recently joined the Focus E15 Mums in occupying a house on the Sweets Way Estate in the North of the borough in protest against the evictions which have taken place there by Annington Homes Ltd, the owners of the houses and land.
West Hendon is a council estate alongside a reservoir and conservation area known as ‘the Welsh Harp’. The estate comprises of a mix of 650 properties some secure tenancies, some private, some temporary non-secure tenants and also leaseholders. All of these homes are going to be bulldozed and replaced with 2000 luxury apartments – 214 of which – the non luxury of course – will be council flats.
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Horror arrives at London Evening Standard by the pen of Matt Watts, supposedly a journalist, a posh and naive pawn, for whose neoliberal minds for whom it is difficult to understand the meaning of gentrification and class struggle.
<< A group of “five stars squatters” has taken over a historic office block just yards from Buckingham Palace. Activists who have entered the former HQ of the Institute of Directors at 123 Pall Mall today vowed to stay “as long as they can”. The six-storey, multimillion-pound office block is 700 yards from Buckingham Palace. The squatters moved in last week and have renamed it as the Instutute of Dissidents. [Read More]
[Posted March 19] A beautiful house has been occupied on the Sweets Way estate in Barnet. Come down to check out the estate, chat to some local residents, and help create a community space! [Read More]
Today (March 15) marked six weeks of Rising Up protecting, supporting and loving the land, trees, wildlife and community at Stapleton allotments and Avon & Frome Valley Conservation Area.
After 4 days of a complex and drawn out eviction, due to the persistence and ingenuity of the activists, all of the tree protectors have now been brought down. The eviction has been a generally peaceful but at times challenging experience, with some instances of aggression and assault on protectors, which have been logged and will be reported.
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