Denby Court
Number of homes: 42
Landlord: Lambeth Council
Ballot Status: Exempt
Planning Status: Approved
42 homes have been earmarked for demolition by Lambeth Council at Denby Court in Kennington.
Lambeth Council is planning to demolish this sheltered housing block, which was initially designed to cater for elderly people but had laterly been converted into temporary accommodation for families on its housing waiting list.
The site contains a former education facility, which will also be demolished as part of the scheme.
In January 2021, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, around 40 families living on the estate were informed by the Council that they would be moved to temporary accommodation elsewhere imminently. Residents resisted this demand and lobbied the Council to stay put until they are rehoused permanently in the local area. Many of them had been living in Denby Court for several years. Their plight was covered by the Guardian newspaper in this Jan 2021 article.
In March 2022, Lambeth Council granted itself planning permission for demolition and construction of 141 new homes comprised of: 41 social rent, 22 shared ownership and 78 private-for-sale units.
In October 2024, Lambeth published a report which says that "the design has since been amended due to new fire building regulations to introduce a second stair core. Further changes will be required to meet the Building Safety Act and secure a financially viable scheme."
The report concludes: "Denby Court will be a mixed tenure scheme, and therefore delivered under a Development Agreement, subject to the SBC approval. The Council will have the option to purchase any affordable homes, but it is likely that, given the financial constraints outlined earlier in the report, any affordable homes will be owned and management by a Registered Provider with full nominations to the Council.” ."
In August 2025, Lambeth announced that its development partner would be private developer Vistry, as part of a wider partnership to redevelop six council-owned sites across the borough. Construction is set to begin in 2026, but for now - five years on from residents being relocated during the pandemic, the site still sits in a state of dereliction and decay (see pictures below).
