At Charlotte Sharman School in Elephant and Castle, South London, educators are embarking on a strike this week, voicing their concerns over the impending closure of the primary school at the end of the term. This institution is among numerous primary schools in inner London facing the same fate, attributed to a 25% decline in the preschool population in certain boroughs, as noted in the latest census. Located near the former Heygate estate—which was demolished in 2014 and subsequently replaced by the luxury apartment complex, Elephant Park—Charlotte Sharman has seen a significant decrease in student enrollment following the estate’s destruction.
Elephant Park has garnered several accolades for its “placemaking excellence,” being hailed as a model for a new wave of urban regeneration. Instead of affordable housing for lower- and middle-income families, these revitalized neighborhoods now feature high-end apartments, fortified private public spaces, national retail chains, trendy pop-ups, upscale bars, and restaurants, along with cultural institutions like universities or art galleries.
Currently, two-bedroom flats in Elephant Park are listed between £900,000 and £1 million, with only 82 of 2,704 new homes designated for social housing. While 25% of the units are marketed as “affordable,” this term has been redefined since 2010 to refer to rents or values at up to 80% of the market rate, a level that remains unattainable for the majority of London families. Alex Mees, an activist with the National Education Union, standing with the striking teachers, remarked, “The area has seen a loss of family homes, replaced by one- or two-bedroom apartments—families are moving away, and this outcome was foreseeable.”
The overhaul of urban areas, from King’s Cross to the Olympic Park, illustrates a wider pattern of aggressive gentrification in cities like London, exacerbated by ballooning housing prices that correlate with declining birth rates. Research conducted by the Affordable Housing Commission revealed that 13% of British adults under 45, in relationships, have postponed or opted against starting a family due to housing challenges, potentially affecting nearly 2 million individuals. Cities like London, experiencing severe gentrification, have noted that while the overall population grows, the cohort aged 25-39—the typical demographic for home purchasing and family establishment—has recently contracted by 4%. London Councils attribute this trend to a scarcity of family-oriented housing.
As a result, many millennials are departing London for cities like Bristol, Brighton, and coastal towns such as Hastings and Eastbourne. This migration is inflating property values in these areas, often resulting in mixed feelings from local residents, some of whom use the pejorative term DFL (Down from London), while Deal has been colloquially labeled “Hackney on Sea.”
Fernanda, an architect and mother of two residing in Hackney, highlights that the closure of schools is not an isolated issue; GP offices and local businesses—the “ecosystem of the city”—are also vanishing. She notes, “The area feels increasingly vacant, and we are witnessing a demographic shift before our eyes.” Recently, she received invitations to two farewell gatherings as families relocate—one to Nottingham and another to Kent—primarily involving families with young children who feel constrained in small flats, as her son’s class size dwindles.
While the rhetoric surrounding placemaking promises to invigorate derelict areas, the outcome often leads to sterile environments lacking essential urban dynamics while retaining only elite recreational options. Although the city is devoid of children and families, popular dining spots remain fully booked weeks ahead. Meanwhile, older residents, many having acquired properties in earlier times, find themselves benefiting from property value increases of up to 700%. Consequently, neighborhoods in London, like Southwark and Hackney, now comprise sparsely populated luxury apartment complexes set against the backdrop of escalating property values for historic Georgian and Victorian homes, juxtaposed with cramped, unaffordable private rentals and dwindling social housing.
The term “sterile,” defined as “incapable of producing offspring or young,” serves as a metaphor for the current urban landscape. Children symbolize the health of our cities; without the amenities catering to their needs and the diversity required for vibrant community life, these areas may survive but lack true vitality.
Anna Minton, the author of “Big Capital: Who is London for?” will release her upcoming work on urban sterility with Penguin next year.
