4.2. COMPARATOR STUDIES AND RELEVANT LESSONS The above recommendations offer suggestions for how Tulse Hill’s assets can best be enhanced to improve quality of life for its residents, promote community sustainability, and combat persistent deprivation. Thanks to its geographic position and existing assets, there is great potential for Tulse Hill to reverse its legacy of deprivation and flourish as a unique, vibrant residential neighbourhood. It is important to note that regeneration of neighbourhoods near burgeoning commercial centres can, without careful planning, lead to gentrification. We turn now to a comparator study from neighbouring Southwark borough to explore this threat.
4.2.1. Comparator Case of Nunhead, Peckham Located near Tulse Hill in South London is the ward of Nunhead in Southwark (see situation map on the side). It is one of five wards in the district of Peckham. According to recent census data, the two wards are demographically, socially, and geographically similar. Like Tulse Hill, Nunhead is primarily a residential ward with close proximity to commercial town centres in neighbouring wards, specifically Peckham’s Rye Lane. The ward has a high amount of park space that connects it to neighbouring wards, similar to Brockwell Park in Tulse Hill. Further, Nunhead enjoys good bus and Overground linkages to the rest of London. Despite these assets however, the area has a historically bad reputation due to high crime levels and perceptions of the area not being safe. From 2001 to 2012 the average house price in Nunhead rose by £140,035. Adjusted for inflation this amount rises to £190,031. The increase in property values coupled with shifts in demographic makeup, incomes and education levels point to gentrification. This process has been subtly encouraged in Nunhead and Peckham as new planning policy requires more new-build housing to be private rather than publicly owned. Further, local borough level policy has largely neglected the area in favour of focusing on commercial town centres to draw in corporate investment
4.2.2. Lessons for Tulse Hill As seen in Nunhead and Peckham as a whole, the introduction of London Overground in 2012 has made the area more accessible to downtown London and thus more attractive to retailers and richer 58
Situation map - Nunhead, Peckham, London
Peckham
Nunhead