Architects Levitt Bernstein Associates and Pollard Thomas Edwards have won a competition to masterplan the regeneration of the Aylesbury estate in Southwark, south London, writes Sally Mesner.
The decision is the latest development in a four-year struggle to upgrade Aylesbury, and follows a ballot last year in which 73% of tenants voted against a 拢200m upgrading plan that involved the transfer of the houses on the estate to a housing association (see "The battle of Aylesbury", factfile).

The latest proposals are for a 拢20m scheme that will leave ownership with the council. It will centre on improvements to public spaces and communal facilities, rather than the extensive demolition and new build first planned.

Levitt Bernstein and Pollard Thomas Edwards started work on plans to upgrade the estate in 1999. The two firms, together with quantity surveyor BPTW, beat off competition from four others. The team now has eight weeks to draw up a design framework.

A competition for the design work is likely to be held in the summer and work is scheduled to begin on site by spring next year.

The project will initially cover work on the south-west corner of the estate. The first phase will then be followed by 拢38m of further improvements.

The work is funded by the government's New Deal for Communities programme and is run by the council and Aylesbury New Deal for Communities, which acts as a steering committee.

The battle of Aylesbury

1999 鈥� Southwark council is allocated 拢170m from the government鈥檚 New Deal for Communities scheme and appoints Levitt Bernstein, Pollard Thomas Edwards and BPTW to work on masterplan options. 2000 鈥� Mace, HTA Architects and urban designer EDAW appointed to masterplan the development. 2001 鈥� Alsop Architects brought in to masterplan the estate and persuade tenants to vote for it. 2002 鈥� Regeneration plan is scrapped after tenants vote against it. Southwark council and Aylesbury New Deal for Communities publish a 拢58m manifesto for the estate.