by Bethany Rielly

LOCAL campaigners rallied today against the proposed construction of a 20-storey building in the heart of Brixton, south London.

The Hondo Tower office block would loom over the iconic heritage sites of Electric Avenue and Brixton Market.

The protest outside Lambeth town hall was intended to put pressure on the Labour-led council before it votes on Tuesday on whether to grant planning permission.

Locals have expressed overwhelming opposition to the development, with the council’s website showing 1,391 objections to 252 expressions of support. 

A petition against the project has attracted more than 7,000 signatures and local Labour MPs Helen Hayes and Bell Ribeiro-Addy also oppose the development. 

However, the No Hondo Tower campaign group said that there has been no consultation with the community. 

Steadman Scott, co-founder of the Afewee Training Centre, a local sports facility for disadvantaged young people, said: “We built this part of London when nobody would come here and live. Now it’s the hip thing and they don’t want us to be a part of it? They should be putting up something that will bring unity to the community.”

Skin, the Brixton-born lead singer of rock band Skunk Anansie, said that she opposed the development because “buildings like that do not benefit the area.”

Concerns have been raised about the monopolisation of Brixton by developer Hondo Enterprises, which also owns Brixton Market.

The firm, owned by millionaire Texan socialite Taylor McWilliams, has been accused of forcing out local traders. 

Hondo insists that there have been “hundreds of letters of support” for the development.

Lambeth council said that the volume of local opposition is “not in itself a material planning consideration” but could be taken into account.