Around 100 people gathered outside Durning Hall in Forest Gate on 2 October to protest against a planning application submitted by the charity Aston-Mansfield to redevelop the site into 78 flats, four shops, a youth enterprise pop-up space and a community space for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The redevelopment has attracted criticism of the ten-storey tower block, the lack of affordable housing and the loss of further retail units, although the bulk of the objections focus on the loss of the community hub which has served Forest Gate for over 60 years and houses 45 community groups.

Group leader for the Newham 2nd (Busby) Scout Group, Kate Christie, said she was “very worried” about the future of her group. “It is shocking to think that Forest Gate might lose its scout group considering we have been here for over 110 years, and at Durning Hall since its founding for over 60 years.”

Dr Ju Gosling, founder of the East London Wheelchair Dance Club, said that Durning Hall was the only venue they could find that was suitable in terms of size, location, accessibility and affordability. “It is highly disappointing that, in breach of their own governing document, Aston-Mansfield now only wants to serve disabled children. Newham has the largest proportion of over-60s in the UK reporting barriers to accessing local goods and services, with twice as many residents being disabled on retirement compared to the average borough,” she said.

Other groups affected include Mantis Kickboxing which has been at Durning Hall since 1980 and trained Idris Elba and Tim Campbell, the East London School of Dance (there since 1986), and the Susan Murray Irish Dancing Academy (there since 1996).

Parents of East London School of Dance students

CEO of Aston-Mansfield, Claire Helman, said: “This project will secure our future in the Borough and will allow us to develop the work that we do to support children, young people and families. These proposals also allow us to deliver a more focused community offer that is in line with our strengths.” In response to the public outcry, Aston-Mansfield has suggested a community access scheme to help the groups to be re-homed in the redevelopment or locally.

Suzanne Hu, who has been campaigning for Aston-Mansfield to re-provide community space, thinks the amended plans are inadequate. She said: “The slots offered are limited and the 90 per cent loss of community space means the remainder is too small for several of the groups. The alternative venues proposed by Aston-Mansfield include those as expensive as £120 per hour, require £300 deposits, or are as far away as Leyton and Plaistow.

“If our most affordable activities have to move further out or even close, Forest Gate will end up being a place where socialising and self improvement are only for the well-off. I urge anyone who does not want to see a divided Forest Gate, or their own areas go the same way, to let Newham’s planning committee know how important our community hubs are.”

The application is scheduled to be considered by the planning committee on 16 November. Anyone who wishes to support or object to the planning application before then can do so here.

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