Phipps Bridge Estate, Mitcham: Looking Eastwards

Phipps Bridge Estate, Mitcham: Looking Eastwards

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Area Mitcham
Picture Reference Mit_​Buildings_​57-19
Original Format Photo
Notes / History The photograph looks eastwards from the Phipps Bridge Estate. Alderman Chalkley, Chairman of Mitcham Housing Committee, provided much of the impetus for the areas redevelopment where he felt little had been done for local people. Architects Colcutt and Hamp were asked to design an estate to provide 775 centrally heated accommodation units for 2,300 people.

To avoid the appearance of a mass-produced estate, housing was constructed in different heights and shapes with taller blocks laid back to allow everyone a fair ration of "light, air and sunshine". Included were maisonettes, flats and houses, together with a 12 store shopping complex, public laundry, social centre, play facilities and landscaped grounds. In more recent years, vandalism and crime resulted in the decision to demolish some of the high rise flats and replace them with lower level housing,

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