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The demolition of former squats in Villa Road Brixton. Villa Road was occupied in 1974 by squatters to resist the 'infamous' Brixton Development Plan, with the site of Villa Road to become high-density housing and an open space. By mid-1977 Lambeth Council obtained possession orders for some of the houses, however the squatters erected barricades, and soon afterward staged successive occupations of the Housing and Planning Advice Centres. Eventually a Department of the Environment ruling squashed the demolition plan and Villa Road 'Street Group' lived behind the barricades for over a year. Lambeth continued with plans to demolish the south side of the street for a park, but the squatters had forced them into negotiations. In 1978, the council agreed to rehouse those living on the south side and demolition went ahead. The site was initially called Angell Park, but later renamed Max Roach Park.From 'As Safe...As Houses', an exhibition on short-life housing in Lambeth put together in 1981 by Julian Quan with photographs by Peter Murphy. Digital image by kind permission of Faith Moore.

Details
Collection:
Image type:	Digital
Artist:
Ref:	13150
Identifier:	D2017/03/1
Date:	c.1978

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