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Synonymous with the vintage emporiums and curry houses that line its cobbled streets, Brick Lane is one of London’s most iconic and best-known roads. But there’s more to this East End hub than fancy clothes and tasty food. With a long history of immigration, Brick Lane has historically been a symbol of London’s diverse, multicultural identity. Coined ‘Banglatown’ in the 1990s, the area around the road became the beating heart of London’s British Bangladeshi community, housing the largest population of Bangladeshi families outside Bangladesh itself.
Walking through the area these days, hipster coffee shops and futuristic office spaces almost outnumber South Asian restaurants. The area has changed dramatically in recent years, becoming a lucrative spot for business investment. This fact is reflected in Brick Lane’s property prices, which tripled between 2010 and 2020; a process that has pushed local communities out and made way for new developments and rapid – but often controversial – regeneration.
The latest in a long line of proposed redevelopment plans stakes claim to the site of the Truman Brewery. Developers plan to convert part of the site, once home to London’s largest brewery, into an office complex with food and retail outlets.
Founding director of property development company Grow Places, Tom Larsson, has been working alongside Truman Brewery to realise a vision for a ‘mixed-use scheme’. He told us: ‘We see this as an evolution rather than revolution of Brick Lane. It’s a unique and fantastic place and we want to grow that in a way that pushes Truman Brewery further into the neighbourhood and provides new spaces for all to enjoy and to use’.
For Larsson the aim is to increase footfall in the area and to maximise the brewery’s underutilised spaces. However, the proposal has come under scrutiny from members of the community, who have criticised the plans for homogenising the area and contributing little in the way of affordable housing or usable community space.
The Save Brick Lane campaign, a coalition of local groups which have opposed the development since 2020, has criticised the plan. The majority of the historic site is set to be converted into shops and offices, with only a small area reserved for housing and community space.
We spoke with Saif Osmani, an artist and architectural assistant working in Tower Hamlets and co-founder of the Bengali East End Heritage Society. Osmani spoke of an ‘unsavoury alliance’ between politicians and developers; he said: ‘Brick Lane has always been a place for incoming, often working class communities to have a step-up into the city.
‘However increasingly the city has rampantly encroached into Brick Lane, wanting to destroy the heritage value, community and social values that attract people here in the first place, simply for a “quick buck’’.’
For Osmani, the proposed development would bring lasting damage to the area. He told us: ‘you cannot re-create areas like Brick Lane. Corporate does not do community well’.
The Tower Hamlets Council Master Plan, created in collaboration with the local community, offers an alternative development, prioritising affordable housing, urban greening and amenities for local people. Supported by the Save Brick Lane coalition, it focuses on preserving Brick Lane’s identity as the heartland of London’s Bangladeshi community. Internal discussions are set to kick off this week.
Brick Lane today may be a far cry from the Brick Lane of the 1990s and early 2000s, but it is still a vital cultural spot. Yes, there may be more offices than there used to be, yes the high street may be more geared to tourists than your average Londoner. But Brick Lane retains its characteristic charm. While its future may be uncertain, one thing is clear: the next few years will be pivotal in deciding the fate of one of London’s most iconic streets.
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