Knight’s Hill eco-camp sparks ‘shanty town’ fear
An eco-camp has been set up in a residential area of West Norwood that neighbours fear is fast-becoming South London’s squatting capital.
A group has set up the ‘Knights Hill Ecological Peace Camp’ with makeshift tents on the old Lambeth College site at the junction of Chapel Road and Knight’s Hill.
Meanwhile, illegal squatters are living in a nearby abandoned care home on Knight’s Hill, which is owned by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM).
The Norwood Action Group (NAG) has said they should be moved on and local councillor John Whelan shareds NAG’s concern.
John wants action taken with some residents raising fears about the prospect of scenes outside St Paul’s Cathedral, where anti-capitalist protesters have pitched dozens of tents, being repeated in Norwood. He says: “NAG is right to link these two sites in West Norwood and I will be supporting them in trying to get these people out.
“My concern is that West Norwood has become some kind of St Paul’s and is fast becoming a magnet for this type of activity.”
The eco-camp site is located on privately owned land, but Lambeth Council does have powers to act on environmental problems such as rubbish, noise, smoke and human waste. Any concerns about rubbish and fires on the site should be reported to the Council on 020 7926 9000.
