Tag Archives: News

Celebrating the women of Barking hotel/Lyon house Hotel on International Women’s Day 8 March 2025

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Social Cleansing, overcrowding, not safe or suitable for children! Newham council shame on you!

On Saturday 8 March, Focus E15 campaign held a speak-out outside Barking Hotel, used by Newham Council to house homeless families in emergency and temporary accommodation for months at a time. 

With the women from Barking Hotel (and its extension Lyon House Hotel just up the road) we handed out flowers and leaflets about the horrifying conditions residents are subjected to in this sham accommodation, which – adding insult to injury – is raking in thousands of pounds a month for private landlords. 

Many families are homeless as the result of Section 21 no fault eviction from the private rented sector, yet they are repeatedly told to look for housing in the private rented sector.

One resident showed us the breakdown of her monthly bill, almost £900 per month, including £9.24 per week for breakfast of which there is never enough and not what some families want for breakfast.

Brimstone House, 10 Victoria Street in Stratford, Newham, was previously used by Newham Council to house homeless families as emergency and temporary accommodation. Under pressure from residents and campaigns including Focus E15, Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz eventually moved families out of what was appalling conditions for children with overcrowding, bedsharing, no space for children to grow and develop, nor do homework or have space to play.

The Barking and Lyon House Hotels show us that Newham Labour Council has never stopped this abusive practice, continuing it out of borough, an additional difficulty for families sent away from their family members, friends and support networks, schools, nurseries and workplaces.

Barking Hotel and Lyon House Hotel conditions:

  • Families are living in cramped and overcrowded conditions – children sharing beds with parents, unsafe washing for babies and toddlers with only showers, no baths, unsafe heaters in rooms where the radiators don’t work, no storage facilities in many of the rooms (shelves or cupboards), some families with young children having to walk outside to get to the kitchen.
  • Lyon House Hotel is a building site out of sight at the back (as seen in the attached photos) where they are building more and more small rooms. 
  • There are over 25 families using a kitchen with three hob rings. 
  • There are no washing machines – one resident reports spending £25 per week on week on washing her and her son’s clothes at the launderette. 
  • Families are checked up on every week with an evening knock on their room door to prove they are there, with the fear of losing their accommodation if accused of staying out.  

Residents of Lyon House Hotel told us: 

“It feels like a prison.“

“The kitchen is small, it’s not easy, seriously not easy. We are tired. It’s not suitable for children.“

“I’m pregnant and also have a 13-year-old son and we sleep in one single bed. It’s not easy for me, I have to sleep on one side. I have let the council know and they said the officer is waiting to speak to their manager. So please, I need the council to look through my case for me urgently. It’s not easy for me and it’s not good for my health.“

Freedom of Information request result

Focus E15 campaign submitted a Freedom of Information request to Newham council about Barking Hotel/Lyon House Hotel. 

The response included:

  • When residents are offered Barking Hotel but are housed in Lyon House (which is down the road) they are told it’s an extension of Barking Hotel at the time of the offer.  Not the case from those we have spoken to.
  • On average, residents live in Barking Hotel for 188 days and in Lyon House for 102 days. Well over the time frame for emergency accommodation. 
  • Both buildings are owned by two private landlords: Ms Parisa Jahanpanah and Mr Ali Kadkhodayi-Kholghi. Payments from Newham council to house homeless residents are paid as a joint sum for Barking Hotel and Lyon House to these two landlords, registered as Hungerburger Ltd/Barking Hotel. From the response received, we have calculated that in December 2024, Newham council paid these private landlords in the region of £170,000, equating to over £2m a year. 

This accommodation is not safe or suitable for children.

Families need to be moved out urgently, to decent, secure, council/social housing in areas where they have support from family and friends, in the case of most people, this is back to Newham.

Public money is cascading into private pockets…this needs to be used to reopen and refurbish council homes!

Stop social cleansing! Shame on Newham Labour Council!

No more children in Barking Hotel or Lyon House Hotel!

Long-term, safe, secure, decent council/social housing for all families now!

The struggle for housing justice goes on!

*Join us for an open, public meeting on Sat 29 March 2025 at Sylvia’s Corner (97 Aldworth Rd,E15 4DN) at 2.30pm to hear more about the Barking Hotel fiasco and the financilisation of social housing *

‘Speak out’ against overcrowding and damp held in Stratford Town hall foyer after campaigners are excluded from council meeting

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Campaigners accuse Newham Labour council of artificially reducing the capacity of the public gallery to not face criticism on housing or austerity cuts

On the evening of Thursday 27th March, Labour council led by Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz showed its true colours – excluding the public from the full council meeting – a meeting at which they set a budget that will mean millions of pounds of cuts in services in the borough.

Only 20 members of the public were allowed in and only if they had signed in in advance. No one present could tell us when and where this information was shared with the public in advance of the meeting. The reason they gave is that the room was too small.

Given the meeting was held in the main chamber (image below), with a 400 delegates standing/ 400 theatre style capacity (according to the council’s own website) it is laughable that campaigners were given this reason to exclude them from the meeting on account of 66 councilors and others functionaries and only 20 members of the public.

FE15 believes the reality is that Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz is scared of the Newham residents who want to hold her and the council to account. This includes residents who want answers to the housing crisis – damp and mouldy and overcrowded dangerous living conditions; those living in hotel hell as Newham sends families out of borough to hotels such as Barking Hotel. This is Brimstone House, Victoria Street conditions all over again.

Focus E15 campaign was ready with letters for the Mayor and clear messages about local housing. Instead of being able to hand these over in person, they have been emailed to the Mayor.

Having been excluded brave Focus E15 campaigners, including mothers and children, held a speak out in the lobby of the Stratford Old Town Hall.

We intend to return to council meetings until housing justice is done!

Down with Newham Labour Council and their shameful anti-democratic practices!

We will not be silenced

Housing justice for all!

COUNCIL HOUSING, NOT COUNCIL CLEANSING

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We want council rent housing, not council-led social cleansing

New report commissioned by Public Interest Law Centre and authored by Dr Joe Penny of UCL’s Urban Laboratory shows how government and council defined ‘Affordable housing’ drives up the cost of homes for working-class communities.

The report finds that estate regeneration projects which feature demolition routinely underproduce truly affordable* housing for those on low incomes, and increase rents of council and social housing by an average of more than £80 per week.  It reveals that the unaffordability of “affordable” housing options, replacing council-rent homes after estate demolition, is worsening the housing crisis for working-class Londoners.  At the same time, councils are playing ‘property developer’ driving forward gentrification. Therefore the call for ‘council housing, not council cleansing’ is arguably more fitting today than ‘social housing, not social cleansing’.

*Truly affordable housing is the term benchmarked in the report using the UN-Habitat’s definition of affordability: rent that costs no more than 30% of a household’s total monthly income. The report found that for some tenures on redeveloped sites, so-called “affordable” rent could be as high as 76% of a household’s income.

Main findings of the report

The report studies six of the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ regeneration projects across three London Boroughs including the Aylesbury Estate and the Heygate Estate.

It considered three different models of cross-subsidy estate regeneration: developer-led approach, local-housing company approach, and council-led approach.

Across all three cross-subsidy models in the report:

  • The loss of social and council housing and the displacement of low-income working-class tenants are embedded features of regeneration projects that involve demolition
  • All underproduce the housing that Londoners need the most (council rent and social rent)
  • All overproduce the type of housing London has the least need for (market sale and rent)
  • The total number of council and social housing was reduced by all but one of the regeneration projects
  • Demolition and redevelopment of council estates increases the rents of council and social housing by more than £80 per week on average
  • 23,551 new homes have been or are expected to be delivered by 2035
  • 8,629 council rented homes have been or will be demolished across the six cases
  • There will be a net loss of 2,151 truly affordable council homes
  • Of the homes due to be built, just 6,478 (27%) of these homes are replacement social rented homes
  • Almost double the amount of social or council homes will be for private market sale or rent (11,961, 51%).

Cross-subsidy models don’t produce affordable housing

The cross-subsidy approach to estate regeneration has been the dominant model of estate regeneration for the past two decades and looks set to continue under the Labour government.

This is when council estates are demolished to make way for expensive properties which are put on the market or rented privately. In theory, the new private homes fund the construction of “affordable” homes on the sites.

However, the report has found that the word “affordable” is used with no consideration for what is truly affordable for people who need these housing options the most.  It is being used to platform affordable housing solutions for middle-income earners being prioritised over housing solutions for the record levels of people in temporary accommodation – 145,800 children in temporary accommodation – up 15% in a year.

Just open the door!

At the report launch, a member of Focus E15 housing campaign and resident from the Carpenters Estate in Newham, East London, gave a fitting analogy for the housing crisis from the position of a temporary tenant  living on an estate facing cross-subsidy redevelopment: “it’s like you’re watching a film and there’s a car on the train tracks with someone inside struggling to get out as a train speeds towards them…they are trying everything but the door handle…and you are screaming at the screen for them tojust open the door!  We need to open the door!”

Download the report:

Download The promise of cross-subsidy: Why estate demolition cannot solve London’s housing emergency.

Download the guide to the report:

To make the evidence as accessible as possible, PILC have created a guide to the report called What Golden Era: A guide to help challenge estate demolition plans with hard facts.

Watch PILC’s short film:

What Golden Era? 5 things you need to know about council house building in London – YouTube

On Saturday 19th October Focus E15 campaign will be holding a speak out demanding an end to temporary accommodation, and calling for safe secure truly affordable council housing!  Join us!

12pm-2pm / outside former Wilkos on the Stratford Broadway, Newham E15.

Urgent Open Letter to Waltham Forest Officials: Secure Housing for Vulnerable Children

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Read our open letter to Waltham Forest Council officials and local Labour MP.

Children with disabilities must be respected: we need safe and secure homes for families.

Dear Waltham Forest Housing department, MP Stella Creasy,
Chief Executive Linzi Roberts Egan and Councillor Richard Sweden,

We all came to the town hall on Thursday 18 July 2024 to deliver our message to the council meeting – one family, their support network and housing campaigners from Focus E15 campaign – to express our serious concern.

This is because a family of two parents, five children, two with autism and learning disabilities, are living in a two-bedroom flat on the seventh floor with dangerous windows.

Disabled children need more space.
These children are not safe.

The housing review said it was suitable.

A housing meeting with the Council that was held in June, that we had to fight to obtain, concluded that the solution to the overcrowding and dangerous windows, was to agree to give up our secure council tenancy and be moved into temporary accommodation again and start once more in the vicious circle of temporary accommodation/private rented sector/insecurity and constant moving.

You have asked us repeatedly for information and forms to be filled in and details to be completed. We have given you all the necessary documents for bidding. We have done this and done it again, we have the email trail and the reference numbers. Despite all the evidence in front of you, you ask us to do it again. We need certainty that you have the correct information and that we will be able to bid.

We ask, as parents of children with autism and learning disabilities to be listened to. Our children need security.

We ask that you listen to the health professionals, many of whom have written letters to say this housing situation is unsuitable and dangerous.

We ask that you listen to the contractors, three of whom who have come to the flat have said that the windows cannot be made safe for children who have no understanding of danger.

We ask that you meet with us again to discuss options that mean we are housed safely and securely in appropriate suitable council housing for our family’s needs.

No excuses please.

From
The family from Northwood Tower E17
Their friends and support network
Focus E15 housing campaign

Refurbish Don’t Demolish the Carpenters Estate: London Legacy Development Corporation  gives the greenlight to redevelopment plans

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What are the plans and what are the controversies, as Newham Council seek Greater London Authority approval.

For over a decade Focus E15 have campaigned for the opening of empty homes on the Carpenters Estate.  We have done so as housing campaigners witnessing the catastrophic rates of homelessness in the borough vs hundreds of empty public homes in walking distance from our weekly street stall (outside Wilko’s on the Stratford Broadway).  We were not the first to campaign for the estate, which has a long and inspirational history of resisting gentrification and displacement as a consequence of redevelopment.

The latest chapter in the story of the estate came on 27th February 2024, when the London Legacy Development Corporation (‘LLDC’), which is the planning authority with oversight for the estate, greenlit redevelopment plans from Populo Living, Newham Council’s property development company.  Plans will now be sent to the Mayor of London,  Sadiq Khan, to give his consent, before the section 106 agreement is finalised (contract between the local authority and developer) and plans are given the final rubberstamped approval.

But what are the plans?    Some key features:

  • This is an ‘outline planning application’ (also called a Masterplan) which will broadly give a bundle of rights to redevelop the estate, including the ability to demolish all existing structures apart from Lund Point, Biggerstaff Terrace (no.s 1-27(odd) Biggerstaff Road) which will be retained.  James Riley Point will also be retained (and already has permission for being refurbished).   This equates to 60% demolition.
  • This Masterplan sets out the broad plans including numbers of homes across the sites, what tenures, number of buildings and types of buildings (residential, commercial, etc) and also plans for greenspace/play space.  We have set out some detail of the plans below.

Timelines and phasing

  • Plans are for the Masterplan to be ‘built-out’ in 8 phases over 18 ‘development parcels’ with anticipated construction over a ten-year period between 2024 to 2034.

Phase 1 (2024) – The first phase (James Riley Point) has already been granted full planning permission having been designed as an early phase for refurbishment of the existing 23 storey residential tower, providing 136 homes, and provision of new community facilities to serve the Carpenters neighbourhood.  It is understood that a start on site is anticipated later in 2024.

Phase 2 (2026) – The second phase would involve refurbishment of the Lund Point residential tower, demolition of existing commercial buildings with new residential and commercial development in the surrounding land to the west of Lund Point.

Phase 3 (2028) – Demolition of the Denison Point residential tower and community buildings at Gibbons Road and replacement with new development of commercial uses (shops, etc) at ground floor with residential uses on the upper floors. A hotel is also proposed within Phase 3 of up to 9,147sq metres (in the illustrative scheme this is shown as providing a hotel with 191 beds).

Phase 4 (2029) -The fourth phase of the proposal would be in the centre of the redevelopment site and involve delivery of new homes and the northern part of the central public open space park. This includes building a new Building Crafts College.

Phase 5 (2029) – New residential development, and incorporating amenity space and play, and commercial frontages to Warton Road and Carpenters Road.

Phase 6 (2031) – This phase would involve the redevelopment of the Carpenters Arms pub and commercial buildings for new commercial units (shops, etc) floorspace at ground floor with residential uses above.

Phase 7 (2033) – This would provide new residential development around the southern part of the new central park with commercial frontages along Gibbins Road/Carpenters Road

  • In order to proceed with building each of the above phases, there will be detailed planning applications submitted to the planning authority (currently the LLDC, but may revert to Newham Council), called a Reserved Matters Application (‘RMA’).  The community will be consulted on each RMA, and each RMA has to be approved or rejected by the planning authority.   

Number and tenure of homes

  • Currently, there are 710 homes on the estate, 434 in three high rise blocks (James Riley Point, Lund Point and Dennison Point), and 276 in low rise blocks and terraced houses.
  • The masterplan is for up to 2,022 new, refurbished and replacement homes, and a minimum of 50.2% as affordable homes (measured by habitable room). Of the affordable homes, there will be up to 884 social rented homes (93.2% of the affordable homes) and 65 Intermediate homes.
  • However, social rented accommodation is typically offered in the form of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy or Starter Tenancy, as opposed to secure life-time tenancy.

Cinema and hotel

  • The Masterplan includes plans to build a cinema and a hotel on the estate land.  This is shocking given a) these were not included in the plans put to the resident’s in a ballot, b) that there are plenty of cinemas and hotels in walking distance from the estate.  When LLDC committee members asked Newham about why these were included in the plans, they were told they were merely for placemaking and it wasn’t even relevant how many people walked through the doors.  As we understand it, this refers to making the new estate as attractive as possible to new private buyers.

Multi-Use Games Area (‘MUGA’)

  • A MUGA is proposed to be built on the roof of a new school building and to have access available to the community.  There was some contention regarding this in the planning committee meeting, as being able to play at the MUGA required the school to be open.

I am concerned about the plans – what can I do?

  • Write to Sadiq Kahn about the differences in the Landlord Offer document balloted on, to what is included in the Masterplan – namely the addition of a cinema and hotel in these plans.

There are conditions attached to the funding released by the estate ballot, which you can read about here.

Point 8.7.2. states: Further, the GLA (Greater London Authority) will continue to check compliance at key points throughout the project. It may terminate a funding allocation and/or reclaim any funding paid (plus interest) on a project where the RBR applies if in its view: • the planning permission secured for a project materially deviates from the proposals set out in the Landlord Offer to residents; • a progress report to residents highlights that a project materially deviates from the proposals set out in the Landlord Offer to residents; and/or • the completed project materially deviates from the proposals set out in the Landlord Offer to residents.

  • If you supported the plans laid out in the Landlord Offer, it’s crucial you check that the Landlord Offer document is included in the section 106 agreement.  This is also true of the Residents Charter.  If they are in the Section 106 agreement, they are legally binding.
  • Keep an eye on the planning application in the portal for updates or changes to the plans – these could come years down the line, but could impact on the number of social rented homes, types of homes, etc.  It’s important to flag and challenge these changes!
  • Respond on consultations to Reserved Matters Applications which will be submitted with each phase of the redevelopment.

We believe homes on the Carpenters Estate should be refurbished, not demolished, that those on the estates are not displaced, and the land serves the people of Newham – adults and children – who are languishing in unsafe and insecure and unaffordable housing.  We will continue to hold Newham Council to account over this land!  We welcome all to our street stall to continue organising for the future of the Carpenters Estate – the land of the 3 towers!

The Focus E15 street stall is every Saturday 12-2 outside Wilko’s on the Stratford Broadway, except when there is  cross-London march for Palestine.