London estate to be bulldozed

Demolition work on the Heygate estate in Walworth, London, which was used as a set for British film Harry Brown, starring Michael Caine, will start today.

The bulldozing of the Heygate estate forms part of the £1.5bn regeneration of Elephant and Castle, which includes the construction of thousands of new homes. The demolition job of the estate, one of the largest in Europe, is scheduled for completion early next year.

Rob Deck, Lend Lease project director for Elephant and Castle, told the press: "The demolition of the Heygate estate is a major milestone in the scheme to rejuvenate Elephant and Castle.

"This is one of the most significant regeneration projects in Europe and Lend Lease will be working in partnership with Southwark Council to transform this area of London into a vibrant place for people from all backgrounds to live, work and recreate."

Earlier this week, new home developers announced plans to build more new homes in Elephant & Castle as part of the redevelopment and extension of the area's main shopping centre, owned by Key Property Investments, which forms an integral part of Southwark Council's £1.5bn regeneration of the wider Elephant & Castle area.

The new homes will be delivered, along with a wide selection of shops, as part of the joint venture between St Modwen and Salhia.

St Modwen's chielf executive Bill Oliver said: "We are naturally very enthusiastic about the opportunities this will provide not only for local people and the borough of Southwark but also for KPI which will now have the opportunity to implement its long held aspirations to develop this key asset."

The delivery of more new homes in Elephant & Castle will help satisfy growing demand for new homes in area.