Elderly London and Quadrant tenants in Dove Close, Chatham, afraid to go in their gardens
06:00, 10 September 2019
Elderly people are scared to go in their gardens for fear a chalk bank will fall on top of them.
People living in sheltered bungalows in Dove Close, Princes Park, Chatham, have gardens which back onto the 80ft slope.
Issy Miller from KMTV went to meet the residents
They have seen their garden walls, fences and structures, such as sheds and decking, damaged by falling debris.
Housing association London & Quadrant has sent people over to assess the damage and in some cases provided wooden beams to prop their walls up.
It says a solution has been complex and should be resolved in weeks but residents are fed up with delays.
They have raised their concerns with L&Q, which owns the land behind their homes, and despite having received assurances something will be done, they are arguing there has been a lack of action.
Bob Parker 73, who lives in one of the bungalows with his wife Angela, said: “Two years ago, we got together and arranged a formal complaint. Since then, we have had numerous people come round taking photos.
“They send people round saying they are going to give quotes.
“A man came round to say it would be done in July. And nothing’s been done.
“They are paying mouth to it.
“Most people here are disabled, over 55 or both. They can’t run, they can’t get away.
“If there’s a major collapse, there’s no prior warning.”
The bank runs along Dove Close and into Morrisons car park, where the bank is held back mostly by concrete bricks.
Bob’s neighbours Anne Harrison and Evie Dewick, who have both lived in their bungalows for 12 years, are also concerned about their gardens.
Anne’s garden wall is propped up by several wooden beams which L&Q installed for her last year.
The 76-year-old said: “We can’t come out here, we’re too frightened. Without them props it will be down.”
Her daughter Evie lives next door with her disabled husband, Denver.
Her shed is being pushed by the garden wall which is also being propped up.
She said: “I can’t get in my shed to do anything, it’s just a joke.”
Joan Higgins, 72, was told by L&Q that she would have to arrange for her own repairs to her fence which was being pushed by the garden wall, also causing damage to her two sheds.
She said: “To me, it’s dangerous. It’s ruined all my garden, it’s pushing everything out of sequence and I think to myself ‘Why should I bother?’
“We spent a lot of money on this garden when we first moved in here and it’s all gone to pot.
“Quadrant is getting onto people who are just landscape gardeners, they are coming down, taking pictures and saying ‘We can’t touch it, it’s too big a job for us’.”
Property manager for the estate, Bryn Annis, said: “We apologise for the delay in finding a solution to stop falling debris from the slope facing our residents’ gardens.
“This has been a complex case and delays have been caused by a variety of issues including determining ownership, gaining access and the need to design a safe and long-lasting solution.
“We have been in regular communication with residents, both directly and through their agreed representative.
“We will be starting works imminently and expect these to be complete by the end of the month. Following these works, we will be conducting bi-annual maintenance works to ensure the issue doesn’t return.”
Since the Messenger got in contact with L&Q, it has held a meeting with residents and has said works will include removing debris from the slope and gardens as well as providing a long-term solution to the problem.
