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Windmill tenants Muidur Rahman, Giddian Ekwvabu, Tony Coates and Shahin Peshwari |
Dump outside homes for 5 years
Residents face noise and disruption as builders begin properties improvement programme
FURIOUS council tenants on an estate in Holborn are facing “five years of hell” after builders set up a dumping station outside their windows.
Industrial noise, including skips being filled and the beeping of lorries reversing, will affect 42 homes on the Windmill block in Tybalds estate every day until 2014 during repairs to thousands of homes across south Camden.
Windmill residents say they were not properly consulted about the use of the Harpur Street car park.
Tony Coates, 63, who is setting up a new tenants association, said: “The council just told us by letter to move our cars in one month.
“It was the first tenants in Windmill estate had heard of it – we had not been consulted.
“If the lorries were here for our benefit for a few months we could negotiate, but they are going to be here for five years to service the whole of south Camden. They should have paid for a commercial site.”
Muidur Rahman, 35, who has lived in the block for 15 years, said: “They come before 8am sometimes and it brings dust into our home. Five years? It’s a nightmare.”
Contractors Lakehouse are carrying out the work after being awarded a £150million contract to upgrade kitchens and bathrooms. It is being carried out under a programme aiming to bring all homes up to the government’s Decent Homes standard by 2010.
The car park was chosen by Lakehouse after “an extensive search” in 2008. The council say the estate was properly consulted.
A Town Hall spokeswoman said: “We have regular meetings with Lakehouse and project meetings with the Tybalds TRA (tenants and residents association).
“[Deputy director of housing] Phillip Colligan has had personal contact with the tenants and residents association.
“We are working on a daily basis with them.
“After discussion with the district housing office, the Tybald’s estate was identified as the most viable option. It was decided the Harpur Street car park was the best location on the estate, to minimise disruption by vehicles driving through the estate.”
The Town Hall – which is selling council homes to part-fund the repairs – has now offered to bring forward repair works to Windmill homes to appease the tenants.
Dominic Muller, who is the contract manager for Lakehouse, said he was doing all he could to keep noise to the minimum.
“I sympathise with their concerns, but we have enclosed our skips and put netting around the area,” he added. We keep to the agreed times and we are always gone by 4.30pm.” |
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