Much in contrast to the city John Turner (1967) once described as progressive in terms of housing approaches for the urban poor, today in Lima, the capital of Peru, private enterprises have assumed unprecedented planning powers. The city that for a substantial part has been produced 'from below' through collective action is increasingly transformed 'from above' through large-scale urban development projects. The article discusses how Lima's urban poor collectively resist the intervention of a megaproject in their neighbourhoods, the 'Vía Parque Rímac' expressway. This mixed-use project combines conventional road infrastructure with urban redevelopment, including public green spaces in the city centre. It is concluded that this emblematic project has significant implications for issues of spatial justice, political transparency and accountability.