Hackney residents dramatically seized control of a public meeting last week, arriving armed with a projector and prepared presentation to challenge what they describe as substantial changes being "shoehorned" into approved regeneration plans for the Marian Court estate.
Residents Take Matters Into Their Own Hands
On Thursday, January 22, Homerton locals descended upon Hackney Council's public showcase of updated regeneration plans for the crumbling Marian Court estate, which was demolished back in 2023. The redevelopment project had previously stalled due to changing safety regulations and financial difficulties, but plans were revived in late November last year.
However, residents became increasingly suspicious about both the timing of the council's announcement and the nature of design modifications, believing the changes were being rushed through without proper consultation. Speaking to reporters, resident Lawrence Leason explained that the council had given locals "very little time to respond" to the updated plans before they intended to present them to Hackney's Planning Committee.
Projector Presentation Forces Council to Listen
As attendees gathered at the meeting, several residents came prepared to force the spotlight onto their concerns. Dr Hannah White, a local resident and social housing academic, urged council officers to allow her and others to present a slideshow using the projector they had brought specifically for this purpose.
When officers initially resisted the request, Dr White took a democratic approach by asking everyone in the room to show hands if they wanted to see the presentation. An overwhelming majority voted in favour, compelling the council to allow the impromptu presentation to proceed.
"We're not just NIMBY neighbours who are p***d off," Dr White told the meeting. "We're actually trying to give you really solid insights."
Substantial Changes or Minor Amendments?
The presentation, delivered by a local architect, highlighted all design changes since the original 2020 approval, arguing they were too significant to be considered "minor material amendments" as claimed by the council. Under planning law, such minor amendments can be made to developments already approved by planning authorities without restarting the entire approval process.
Key modifications to the Marian Court designs included converting a series of townhouses into higher-density flats, increasing the height of a tower by two and a half storeys, and adding twelve balconies to properties. These changes led some neighbours to fear they would lose privacy, while green spaces were reportedly reduced from previous plans.
Council Defends Design Modifications
Hackney Council told reporters that design changes were necessary to retain a similar number of homes while meeting new regulations mandating second staircases in buildings over 18 metres tall. The Town Hall insisted the changes were indeed minor and that, since the original 2020 planning permission remained active, the local authority could adjust designs without restarting the planning approval process.
At the meeting, officers explained the project had to evolve to survive amid "money stress" from inflation and spiralling construction costs, while simultaneously trying to meet "strict" City Hall funding deadlines.
Political Context and Housing Pressures
Also present was Hackney's Deputy Mayor and regeneration chief, Councillor Guy Nicholson, who emphasised the borough's "political emphasis" on housebuilding. He highlighted the pressing local housing crisis, noting that "tonight there'll be a couple of thousand kids in temporary accommodation who are Hackney residents."
Councillor Nicholson revealed that over 700 people had registered interest in taking on one of the shared ownership homes within the scheme, representing approximately 2,700 individuals. Hackney's social housing wait list currently comprises roughly 8,500 households, underscoring the urgent need for new accommodation.
Defending the changes as "appropriate", he added: "I appreciate that we've got to really reflect hard on height, massing and density. But I think what we've got to try and do here is not lose sight and come back."
Project Details and Historical Context
The latest plans for Marian Court are due to deliver 163 mixed-tenure homes, including replacement council homes for social rent. These will form the final phase of the regeneration of Bridge House and Marian Court, collectively delivering 270 new council homes - comprising 84 for social rent, 120 for shared ownership, and 66 for outright sale.
Additional features include a 187 square metre community centre and shops serving the local population. The updated estate designs are scheduled to go before a planning sub-committee at a later date, following the heated community meeting.
Marian Court previously made national headlines in 2021 when Hackney Council began demolishing the old housing blocks while a single mother and her four children remained living there, highlighting the complex challenges of estate regeneration in London's pressured housing market.
