The hidden costs of gentrification: Displacement in central London

This paper explores the process of displacement fromgentrification in three areas in central London. Taking as itsfocus the recent stress in policy documents on the need for mixedcommunities, the paper argues that extensive gentrification inthe case study areas threatens the sustainability of communitynetworks and of those services which excluded groups rely on.Drawing on disparate sources of data, the paper pieces together apicture of the scale and experience of displacement. It arguesthat there is a need to rethink the laissez faire policytoward neighbourhoods and the desirability with which many viewinfluxes of wealthy households into previously poor areas.