Charlie Alford

Lesnes ‘Clockwork Orange’ estate in potential High Court challenge

Post author:The Canary
Post published:28 July 2026
Post last modified:28 July 2026

On 29 July 2026, the High Court will decide whether to grant permission for a judicial review of Bexley Council’s decision to approve Peabody’s plans to redevelop the Lesnes Estate. The brutalist development is better known as the ‘Clockwork Orange’ estate, and sits in Thamesmead, south-east London. Adam Turk is a Lesnes resident and social tenant of Peabody Housing Association. He has brought the legal challenge with support from the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC). The estate gained recognition after appearing in the cult 1971 film A Clockwork Orange. Turk has campaigned for tenants’ rights on the estate for several years…

Community Barometer sets out blueprint for high street recovery

Post author:The Canary
Post published:16 July 2026
Post last modified:16 July 2026

The 2026 Community Barometer report is the first major report into the health of the high street that focuses on putting place first. The Association of Convenience Stores launched the report, which highlights the use of the ‘Makerfield Test’ as a means to deliver good growth on high streets. The ‘Makerfield Test’ is the idea that a policy must work for somewhere like Makerfield or the government ditches it. There is a stark contrast in the report between the high streets that people feel are getting better and those that are getting worse. Across the UK, only Greater London emerged as…

Croydon homelessness service closure faces High Court challenge

Post author:The Canary
Post published:3 July 2026
Post last modified:4 July 2026

On 7 July 2026, the High Court will hear an application for permission to bring a judicial review of Croydon council’s decision to close its walk-in homelessness service, Access Croydon, in March 2025. The claim is brought by a vulnerable individual who wishes to remain anonymous, represented by the Public Interest Law Centre. Since the closure of Access Croydon, local residents can only access homelessness information, advice or assistance via a system based on pre-booked appointments and an online self-service tool. The Claimant is an individual who faced eviction. However, because of a learning disability, they were unable to access LB…