A campaigner hoping to save Brixton’s railway arches from Network Rail development plans has created a spoken word poem in protest.
Rapper and activist Potent Whisper created the video in protest at Network Rail’s decision to evict traders and tenants from the railway arches while renovation works are carried out.
The video was released as part of the Save Brixton Arches campaign, which plans to march on October 8 to “stand up to Lambeth Council” over the decision to approve the proposals last month.
Campaigner Steve Knight, from Save Brixton Arches, told the Standard: "Network Rail's planned redevelopment of the Brixton railway arches does not require the termination of tenants' leases.
“Network Rail does not need to take possession of the Arches in order to carry out refurbishments. It is a choice. Tenants and Traders are willing for leases to be "frozen" whilst necessary works are being carried out.
“We demand that Network Rail does not terminate current leases held by tenants and we call on the Mayor of London to ensure the preservation of Brixton's cultural and historical heritage, namely the Brixton Arches."
The group has also created a petition asking for Network Rail to ‘not terminate leases at the Brixton Arches’, which has gathered over 700 signatures.
Network Rail’s director of commercial estate, Alan Muir, said: “This is an £8 million investment that will benefit the whole of Brixton and provide traders in the area with excellent facilities. In addition, we will also be able to properly examine the structure of the arches, which carry trains with many thousands of passengers every day.
"We have been consulting with our tenants for the past 18 months and I’m really pleased that three quarters of our tenants have decided to return. They will benefit from discounted stepped rents over seven years – so they will not be paying 2015 rent levels until 2024.
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"We want to continue Brixton’s independent tradition story with a mix of independent and small traders, in the same way that we do across the capital. Of the 4,000 businesses in our London arch estate, fewer than 20 are let to national chains and nationwide, 98 per cent of our arches are rented out to small local businesses.
"I look forward to be able to welcome our traders back when the work is complete next year.”
