Frustration Of Edensor Gardens Residents Over 'Top Floor' Plan
Say Council not providing information about scheme to add extra storey to block
Residents in Edensor Gardens say they are increasingly frustrated and concerned over lack of information about plans by Hounslow Council to build an extra storey at their three-floor blocks in order to create extra housing.
The residents have set up a petition, 'Say No To The Top Floor' and said efforts to meet with Hounslow housing officials to discuss their fears that building on the site of a former sewage works will affect the foundations have come to nothing. They say they already suffer from problems with drainage.
Hounslow Council contractors have spent six weeks testing the foundations, ground and soil of the Edensor Gardens site and residents say two planned meetings with officials from Hounslow Council were cancelled abruptly due to 'unforeseen circumstances'.
The residents said a site inspection was also cancelled and when it rescheduled the representative did not turn up.
A spokesperson said this was causing not only inconvenience to residents who took time off work for planned meetings, but also a good deal of stress and concern about the planned project.
The issue is likely to be deferred until next year as the contractors RSK are due to present their reports on the foundations to the Council in early January. Soil samples have gone off for analysis.
"As you can imagine this is causing an atmosphere of ongoing stress for residents as we are caught completely in limbo," said a spokesperson for the resident's group.
"Although we are completely sympathetic and supportive of the need for more social housing, the sites picked need to actually be suitable. Also the housing and land sold by the Council to private developers at this stage make this whole scheme even more ludicrous."
In September, the Council wrote to to residents informing them of the proposal to create an extra 28 homes as part of their 5,000 pledge (to create thousands of homes across the borough). A budget of £5m has been allocated for the project which would take an estimated 12 months.
The residents say, "We categorically oppose the plans to add a fourth floor to the buildings at Edensor Gardens. We cherish our peaceful home environment.
"We defend the rights of our children to move around safely without the hazard of workmen, vehicles and heavy machinery. We reject your plans for car parks and playgrounds and the upheaval that will cost us, both in terms of environment and property value."
As well as providing extra homes, the Council says it intends to carry out upgrades to the local area including cycle storage, parking, landscaping and a play area.
November 23, 2019
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November 23, 2019
