More than 5,000 people have written to the council on its proposals to redevelop the Peckhamplex cinema and carpark.
The council’s public consultation on its draft New Southwark Plan, which included the controversial proposals, ended on April 28. It was suggested that 83 homes and units for small businesses could be built.
Community group Peckham Vision led calls for residents to respond to the consultation using an automated emailing service on its website. The group’s coordinator Eileen Conn has now said over 5,000 people responded via the website alone.
Eileen told the News: “On a shoestring budget a small group of active citizens have enabled over 5,000 to get a voice on a complicated planning policy matter.”
In her own comments, Eileen wrote that more work should be done to explore how the building could continue to be reused in future. She said: “Over the last ten years this building and site have contributed to the development of Peckham as a centre of culture and creativity… The uses and future uses of the existing building have shown that it may be capable of significant long-term use as a repurposed building.”
Last month, Peckhamplex’s chairman John Reiss said the company would demand an “affordable” new premises in the centre of Peckham if redevelopment went ahead.
The Peckham Levels project to house small businesses in the carpark is due to open in September on a six-year lease. The council could look to submit a planning application after this period.