It's five years ago this week since campaigners demonstrated the strength of feeling against new tower blocks in Walthamstow.
Hundreds of protesters swarmed a town square calling on developers and a council to reverse plans for four “monster” tower blocks to be built on “precious” public land.
Demonstrators at ‘Occupy the Square’ in Walthamstow say they succeeded in sending a strong message to Waltham Forest Council and developers Capital & Regional that they are not giving up the fight.
Organiser Linda Taaffe, secretary of Waltham Forest Trades Council, said the 600 demonstrators were encouraged by the “absolutely fantastic” turnout and have vowed to take their battle to the developers’ headquarters for a public protest next month.
“It was very exciting,” she said.
“It was quite clear that we are prepared to take it as far as necessary. It’s not a game where we have a bit of a shout and then go home – we’re not like that - we’re here to see it through to the end.”
The event featured numerous speakers, all of whom voiced their opposition to the scheme which was given the green light by the council in December.
The redevelopment plans for The Mall include restaurants, shops and four blocks, the highest which at 29 storeys will be Walthamstow’s highest building. Campaigners are angry that only 20 per cent of the 500 apartments will be ‘affordable’.
Mrs Taaffe added: “And it isn’t even going to provide homes for people in need. The whole 500 flats will be so expensive no young people or families here could ever afford one.”
People of all ages marched around the square wearing cardboard models of the tower blocks and artists paraded their impressions of what the end result will look like.
Trees destined for the chop were marked with posters and a line was sprayed to show people exactly how much space will be lost to the blocks. The demonstrators occupied the area by gathering along this line and then marched around the square, joined by musicians playing ‘This Land is Your Land’.
After the event guests headed to Harmony Hall in Truro Road, Walthamstow, where the film ‘Concrete Soldiers’ was shown.
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