Tuesday, 19th May 2009
BILL CLINTON is to visit the Elephant and Castle shopping centre, a major endorsement of the centre's green redevelopment scheme.
The former US President met London Mayor Boris Johnson at the climate change summit in Seoul, South Korea this week and the pair arranged the trip.
Johnson told his Twitter followers that he has "persuaded Clinton to visit Elephant and Castle with me which is now at the cutting edge of combatting climate change."
Clinton runs a group called the Climate Change Development Program, which helps carbon-positive projects around the world. Speaking in Seoul today, he singled out the scheme at the Elephant for special praise.
"I have seen the future," said Clinton.
"If you can do a carbon positive development that big, then no-one in the world will have any reason not to do it." said Clinton.
The £1.5B re-development of the Elephant has hit some planning and revenue-raising snags, but now looks to be on the rails.
Using carbon neutral heating, electricity and other services for 6,000 new homes and businesses, together with green spaces and loads of trees, the new Elephant is set to be an example for development projects the world over.
It is due to be complete by 2014.
"We're extremely proud of what we're achieving at the Elephant, and equally proud that this work has been recognised by the Clinton Climate Initiative." said Dan Labbad, chief executive of Lend Lease Europe, one of the groups involed with Southwark Council in the ambitious scheme.
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