Aylesbury Estate
| Aylesbury Estate | |
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Aylesbury Estate viewed from Chiltern
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| Location | Walworth, Southwark, London, England |
| Coordinates | 51°29′10″N 0°05′06″W / 51.486°N 0.085°WCoordinates: 51°29′10″N 0°05′06″W / 51.486°N 0.085°W |
| Status | Ongoing Regeneration |
| Constructed | 1963–1977 |
| Demolished | 2009 onwards |
| Governing Body |
Southwark Council |
 "Aylesbury Estate - Ident". Remake of the 'infamous' Channel 4 ident shot on Aylesbury Estate, London SE17. (Flash Video.) |
The Aylesbury Estate is a large housing estate located in Walworth, South East London.
The Aylesbury Estate contains 2,704 dwellings and was built between 1963 and 1977. There are approximately 7500 residents, spread over a number of different blocks and buildings. The estate is currently undergoing a major regeneration programme.
Major problems with the physical buildings on the estate and the poor perception of estates in Britain as a whole have led to the Aylesbury Estate gaining the title of "one of the most notorious estates in the United Kingdom."
Tony Blair chose to make his first speech as Prime Minister here, in an effort to demonstrate that the government would care for the poorest within society. The estate is often used as a typical example of urban decay.
The Aylesbury Estate is an ethnically diverse area: according to the most recent census, around 25% of respondents were White British, with Black ethnic groups accounting for over half of all respondents. Around a third (34%) of residents are of school age, and fewer than 1 in 10 are aged 65 or above. Nearly two-thirds of respondents identified themselves as being Christian, with 17% being Muslim.
The estate was designed by architect Hans Peter "Felix" Trenton and construction started in 1963. Built on 285,000 square metres the estate was an attempt by planners to house some of London's poorest families. The 2,700 dwellings were designed to house a population of roughly 10,000 residents, making it one of the largest public housing estates in Europe. The estate is named after Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire and the various sections of the estate are named after other local towns and villages in Buckinghamshire including Foxcote, Wendover, Winslow, Padbury, Taplow, Ravenstone, Latimer and Chiltern.
In the 1970s residents in the ground floor flats successfully campaigned for gardens to be fenced-off adjoining their flats. The final blocks of flats were completed in 1977 and the estate included a nursery, a day centre and a health centre.
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Wikipedia