Since our last blog on the Elephant & Castle shopping centre saga, over 100 objections have been made to the temporary boxpark proposals for traders on Castle Square.
In response, Delancey has submitted a two-page document covering rent levels, tenancy agreements, service charges, selection criteria, hours of operation, access and the relocation fund. There is now a reconsultation on the planning application proposals.
One clear improvement has been made - the facility will now have lift access - but otherwise Delancey does little more than restate its previous position.
There will still be no affordable retail units, but Delancey claims that the proposed rents are "discounted in excess of the requirements of the Elephant & Castle SPD".
Delancey also states that traders will be given first right of refusal to the temporary units at Castle Square and units will not be let to others until Delancey receives refusals in writing.
However, the overall size of the boxpark facility is still only 492 square metres and there is no increase to the relocation fund of £634k.
There is also still no agreement with the traders on any of these and the other issues such as the trading hours, service charges and selection criteria.
Moreover, the Traders Panel has only just got off the ground, with no traders yet appointed to the Panel.
Until this happens none of these issues can be said to be settled and the "robust relocation strategy" that Mayor Sadiq Khan is asking for will not be achieved.
Many of our readers have previously submitted objections. We have drafted a revised objection in light of the minor revisions submitted by Delancey.
We must ensure that the traders get the best possible deal, whatever happens; they need the temporary facility, but it must be better; if you would like to help achieve this, please submit an objection using our online objection form.
Join our party!
The Up the Elephant Campaign in support of the traders and for more social rented housing at the Elephant is also holding a Campaign Party on this coming Friday 30 Nov - a night of of Latin beats with DJ Gloria (Exilio) to raise funds to pursue a legal challange to Southwark Council's granting of planning permission for the shopping centre scheme - further details and tickets available here.
Links: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Up-the-Elephant-1117314135042279/events/
https://twitter.com/uptheelephant_