Property company Delancey has been forced by huge local community pressure to reconsider their redevelopment offer for Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre and the London College of Communication site. 700 formal objections were lodged. Less than 4% of the proposed 1,000 homes were to be at social rent. The plans failed to meaningfully address the future of existing traders, including the large cluster of Latin American businesses. Delancey, based in the Virgin Islands (an alleged tax haven), are projected to make a profit of £154 million from the scheme.

Liba Hoskin, a retired maths teacher, said: “United pressure from many community groups, including the local Green Party, appears to be forcing some improvements for the local community in Delancey’s Elephant & Castle redevelopment plans. We now need proper consultation and dialogue to ensure that the final deal will work for local residents and traders.”