Comedians James Acaster and Nish Kumar have been branded nimbies after they helped raise money to block a huge housing development in Peckham.
Mr Acaster and Mr Kumar have faced criticism for their opposition to the project with James Yucel, Director of the pro-house building Tory group Conservative YIMBY, describing the comedians as ‘champagne socialists railing against “gentrification” while opposing new homes’.
The plans, submitted by Berkeley Homes, would see 867 homes built on the site of the Aylesham shopping centre and market.
However, the project has proven controversial after they lowered the proportion of affordable houses from 35 per cent to 12 per cent last December.
Their actions have sparked anger among residents who claim the developer is targeting those seeking to buy apartments as second homes or investment opportunities rather than providing affordable accommodation.
The bad blood between both sides was made worse in May when the developers announced they would be bypassing Southwark Council – who they claimed had been too slow to consider the scheme – and instead Berkeley are to take the case straight to the government’s Planning Inspectorate for approval.
To fight this development, a campaign has been organised to raise money to mount a legal challenge at the Planning Inspectorate hearing, scheduled to take place later this month.
So far the Aylesham Community Action has raised more than £46,000 and has the support of local councillors and the local mps as well celebrities such as James Acaster and Nish Kumar – who both performed at a comedy show in support of the cause.
Comedian Nish Kumar (pictured) has faced backlash for his opposition to a massive housing project
Comedian James Acaster (pictured) performed at a comedy show in support of the campaign to stop the housing project
A CGI image of the proposed redevelopment of Aylesham shopping centre in Peckham. The plans, submitted by Berkeley Homes, would see 867 homes built. But the project has proven controversial after they lowered the proportion of affordable houses from 35 per cent to 12 per cent last December
Since their role in the campaign were revealed this week, the pair have been widely ridiculed on X, formerly Twitter.
One user said: ‘They’re blocking 900 homes from being built because the developer changed their plans from 315 affordable to 108 affordable.
‘I have to ask, how many affordable homes does the shopping arcade have?’
Another former resident of Peckham said: ‘As someone who had to leave Peckham because it was too unaffordable, I find opposition to the redevelopment of the Ayelsham centre incredibly frustrating.’
Tory MP Neil O’Brien wrote: ‘Build Houses? On brownfield land? In Europe’s largest city? Wild idea.’
Kane Emerson, head of housing research at the YIMBY Alliance also waded into the debate.
He wrote: ‘You can’t be progressive and hate people! Rich celebs opposing new homes being built on a car park. Deeply unpleasant. People need homes.’
Speaking to the Daily Mail Mr Yucel echoed Mr Emerson’s sentiment.
Mr Acaster and Mr Kumar have been ridiculed online for their stance
He said: ‘This is classic NIMBYism dressed up as activism. Acaster and Kumar are champagne socialists railing against ‘gentrification’ while opposing new homes in one of the most unaffordable areas of the country.
‘They claim to care about the housing crisis, but only as long as the new homes aren’t near their favourite artisan coffee shop. It’s hypocritical, anti-working-class, and utterly regressive.’
Peckham, an inner city area of south London, has been at the forefront of the UK’s housing crisis for years now with over 16,000 people on a waiting list for social housing and the average home selling for a whopping £800,000.
Mr Yucel voiced his support for Berkeley decision to go straight to the Government for approval and claimed the council has ‘turned planning into political theatre’.
‘Good on Berkeley. Councils like Southwark have turned planning into political theatre, he said.
‘All process, no homes. If a local authority blocks well-designed, policy-compliant schemes, then developers should absolutely be able to go straight to the government. We’d go further: a Builder’s Remedy to give automatic approval when councils drag their feet.’
He added: ‘Conservative YIMBY backs bold reform: scrap late-stage reviews that punish ambition; reward density and quality with faster approval; legalise mansion blocks; abolish Article 4s; and unlock the so-called ‘grey belt’ for new homes. Britain needs builders, not barricades.’
Helen Dennis, Southwark Council’s cabinet member for housing previously said: ‘We want to create a Southwark that is for everyone, not just the privileged. That’s why we’ve delivered 3,000 new council homes in Southwark, either finished or under construction, and last year more genuinely affordable homes were completed in Southwark than any other London borough.
‘We have a responsibility to deliver affordable housing to the people of our borough. We are driven by the huge impact that the housing crisis is having on our borough, with over 20,000 households on our housing waiting list and 4,000 households in temporary accommodation.
‘In the face of this, it is vital that the council does all it can to secure as many social rent homes as possible through the planning process.
‘Our target proportion for affordable homes in any new development is 35 per cent and we fight to uphold and meet, and where possible exceed this target, working with developers to do so. In the adjusted proposal from Berkeley Homes for the Aylesham site, the low proportion of affordable housing and uncertainty about the delivery of Community Land Trust homes do not justify the development and impact on the heritage of the Rye Lane Peckham Conservation Area.
‘The new plan also contradicts stipulations around design, character, conservation and heritage of the National Planning Policy Framework. Southwark Council therefore does not support the proposal from Berkeley in its current form and the council is preparing to defend its position robustly at the planning inquiry.’
The Daily Mail have approached Aylesham Community Action for a comment.
