Southwark council wants to regenerate Peckham square, this includes removing its iconic steel arch.
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For over 30 years this landmark steel canopy has stood at an important junction in one of London’s most diverse neighbourhoods. Now Peckham Arch will controversially be torn down as part of the council’s plans to improve the area.
Situated at the north end of Rye Lane, it was originally designed by architects Troughton McAslan as a symbol of regeneration in a borough which had suffered from years of decline.
Today, Southwark Council is unveiling its plans to replace the arch, and asking the public to give their views on them.
The Arch was the first of three capital projects around Peckham Square (Credit: Benedict O’Looney)
Council: 80% residents didn’t want to keep the arch
Southwark Council says that “in 2016, 80% of residents asked did not want to see the arch retained. There was positive support from the community to drastically improve or completely remove it.”
It has allocated £7 million to upgrade Peckham Square to host a range of activities, as well as aiming to improve safety and reduce anti-social behaviour.
In 2021, Southwark Council appointed Spheron Architects to re-design the landscaped public realm. Graeme Massie Architects and Scott Whitby Studio have been appointed to take the project forward.
Arch is ‘a gathering place for the community’
City London News spoke to local businesses and residents about the plans ahead of today’s public consultation.
Yet it was difficult to find anyone who agreed with the council’s claims or statistics.
Brian, owner of Soul Fuel, grew up in Peckham and runs his business beneath the canopy.
He doesn’t support the arch’s removal: “It’s a gathering place for the community, whether it’s people from church, from the mosque – or even if they don’t have religious beliefs, they can celebrate different events here.”
Brian, owner of soul fuel, believes that removing the arch would mean erasing a part of Peckham’s identity (Credit: Alex Nichol/City London News)
He thinks simple changes could instead be made to the structure, such as repainting it, and adding bird spikes and new lights.
Many residents feel the money spent on taking it down could be better used elsewhere.
Although security is a recurring theme for locals, Brian suggested an increased police presence should be considered, rather than the removal of the arch.
He added that the structure provides protection from the elements all year round, allowing businesses, performers and pedestrians to be active, no matter the weather.
Local businesses benefit from the protected covered area all year round (Credit: Alex Nichol/City London News)
Regeneration or gentrification?
Dr Habiba Jelali, who specialises in gentrification and urban politics at Sorbonne University in Paris, told City London News of her fears that the arch’s removal reflects the gentrification in Peckham:
“The arch has cultural significance, it’s part of Peckham’s identity, it’s part of the community space”, she said.
“By removing it, it is taking part of this cultural identity, this Peckham identity, from the people.
“And in a way it is unhoming these people – making them feel they don’t belong to the area anymore.”
The Peckham Arch sits at the top of Rye Lane, the heart of one of south London’s most diverse neighbourhoods (Credit: Benedict O’Looney)
Protecting a diverse heritage
Peckham is renowned for its culturally diverse population. It has a vibrant African and Caribbean demographic, reflected in its shops and markets – particularly on Rye Lane, where the arch is situated.
Several of the neighbourhood’s buildings have been saved by campaigners, including the Peckhamplex Cinema and the Bussey building.
Yet many are concerned this identity is being eroded. Issues with social housing and spiralling house prices have forced many of the older and working class members of the community to move elsewhere.
The Aylesham Centre development is an example of this friction. Berkeley Homes recently notified Southwark Council that it is lowering its affordable housing offer on the site of the redeveloped shopping centre from 35% to 12%.
The iconic Peckhamplex cinema has also resisted the tide of urban development and was saved by local campaigners (Credit: Alex Nichol/City London News)
‘There’s nothing quite like it in Britain’
Benedict O’Looney is a local architect and advocate for preserving Peckham’s urban heritage.
He told City London News that the arch is a key communal space that has a significant purpose in civic life: “ People gather and there’s markets, there’s places to eat there. People gather and do not so good stuff there.
“It’s a very kind of democratic gathering place and we’re welcoming uplift for the square, but the arch is unique. There’s nothing quite like it in Britain.”
Benedict O’Looney, a south London architect who is campaigning to save Peckham’s urban heritage (Credit: Benedict O’Looney)
He admits there are elements to the council’s proposal that are reasonable, yet argues that the arch itself is vital, drawing inspiration from the historic loggia of the Parthenon and Athens’ ancient agora.
“It’s a kind of thing that people have been building since time immemorial, a kind of place for people to gather.”
Public to have their say on new plans
Southwark Council are today hosting a public consultation to showcase their plans and hear the opinions of local residents.
It says that those unable to attend have other opportunities to meet the team behind the renovation plans at Peckham Library. They are hosting consultation events from 10am-1pm on 15 February and 3.30pm-7pm on 19 February.
The library is also hosting a related exhibition between 13-21 February.
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HeadlineSouthwark Council unveil its plans to replace landmark Peckham Arch
Short HeadlineCouncil's plans for replacing landmark Peckham Arch revealed
StandfirstSouthwark Council are holding a public consultation on their regeneration scheme for the Peckham Square
For over 30 years this landmark steel canopy has stood at an important junction in one of London’s most diverse neighbourhoods. Now Peckham Arch will controversially be torn down as part of the council’s plans to improve the area.
Situated at the north end of Rye Lane, it was originally designed by architects Troughton McAslan as a symbol of regeneration in a borough which had suffered from years of decline.
Today, Southwark Council is unveiling its plans to replace the arch, and asking the public to give their views on them.
The Arch was the first of three capital projects around Peckham Square (Credit: Benedict O’Looney)
Council: 80% residents didn’t want to keep the arch
Southwark Council says that “in 2016, 80% of residents asked did not want to see the arch retained. There was positive support from the community to drastically improve or completely remove it.”
It has allocated £7 million to upgrade Peckham Square to host a range of activities, as well as aiming to improve safety and reduce anti-social behaviour.
In 2021, Southwark Council appointed Spheron Architects to re-design the landscaped public realm. Graeme Massie Architects and Scott Whitby Studio have been appointed to take the project forward.
Arch is ‘a gathering place for the community’
City London News spoke to local businesses and residents about the plans ahead of today’s public consultation.
Yet it was difficult to find anyone who agreed with the council’s claims or statistics.
Brian, owner of Soul Fuel, grew up in Peckham and runs his business beneath the canopy.
He doesn’t support the arch’s removal: “It’s a gathering place for the community, whether it’s people from church, from the mosque – or even if they don’t have religious beliefs, they can celebrate different events here.”
Brian, owner of soul fuel, believes that removing the arch would mean erasing a part of Peckham’s identity (Credit: Alex Nichol/City London News)
He thinks simple changes could instead be made to the structure, such as repainting it, and adding bird spikes and new lights.
Many residents feel the money spent on taking it down could be better used elsewhere.
Although security is a recurring theme for locals, Brian suggested an increased police presence should be considered, rather than the removal of the arch.
He added that the structure provides protection from the elements all year round, allowing businesses, performers and pedestrians to be active, no matter the weather.
Local businesses benefit from the protected covered area all year round (Credit: Alex Nichol/City London News)
Regeneration or gentrification?
Dr Habiba Jelali, who specialises in gentrification and urban politics at Sorbonne University in Paris, told City London News of her fears that the arch’s removal reflects the gentrification in Peckham:
“The arch has cultural significance, it’s part of Peckham’s identity, it’s part of the community space”, she said.
“By removing it, it is taking part of this cultural identity, this Peckham identity, from the people.
“And in a way it is unhoming these people – making them feel they don’t belong to the area anymore.”
The Peckham Arch sits at the top of Rye Lane, the heart of one of south London’s most diverse neighbourhoods (Credit: Benedict O’Looney)
Protecting a diverse heritage
Peckham is renowned for its culturally diverse population. It has a vibrant African and Caribbean demographic, reflected in its shops and markets – particularly on Rye Lane, where the arch is situated.
Several of the neighbourhood’s buildings have been saved by campaigners, including the Peckhamplex Cinema and the Bussey building.
Yet many are concerned this identity is being eroded. Issues with social housing and spiralling house prices have forced many of the older and working class members of the community to move elsewhere.
The Aylesham Centre development is an example of this friction. Berkeley Homes recently notified Southwark Council that it is lowering its affordable housing offer on the site of the redeveloped shopping centre from 35% to 12%.
The iconic Peckhamplex cinema has also resisted the tide of urban development and was saved by local campaigners (Credit: Alex Nichol/City London News)
‘There’s nothing quite like it in Britain’
Benedict O’Looney is a local architect and advocate for preserving Peckham’s urban heritage.
He told City London News that the arch is a key communal space that has a significant purpose in civic life: “ People gather and there’s markets, there’s places to eat there. People gather and do not so good stuff there.
“It’s a very kind of democratic gathering place and we’re welcoming uplift for the square, but the arch is unique. There’s nothing quite like it in Britain.”
Benedict O’Looney, a south London architect who is campaigning to save Peckham’s urban heritage (Credit: Benedict O’Looney)
He admits there are elements to the council’s proposal that are reasonable, yet argues that the arch itself is vital, drawing inspiration from the historic loggia of the Parthenon and Athens’ ancient agora.
“It’s a kind of thing that people have been building since time immemorial, a kind of place for people to gather.”
Public to have their say on new plans
Southwark Council are today hosting a public consultation to showcase their plans and hear the opinions of local residents.
It says that those unable to attend have other opportunities to meet the team behind the renovation plans at Peckham Library. They are hosting consultation events from 10am-1pm on 15 February and 3.30pm-7pm on 19 February.
The library is also hosting a related exhibition between 13-21 February.
