Tottenham sheltered housing tenants fight eviction

Posted: September 29, 2009

“We don’t want to move!”, say sheltered housing tenants

Elderly tenants met in Tottenham on Wednesday, 26th August, to launch a campaign to save their homes at four sheltered housing schemes:

Campbell Court, N17 – 49 flats
Larkspur Close, N17 – 36 flats
Protheroe House, N17 – 47 flats
Stokley Court, Hornsey – 47 flats

The four schemes have been removed from the Haringey’s programme of ‘decent homes’ improvements, pending discussions with residents about the future of their homes.

It seems that Haringey Council wants Campbell Court and Stokley Court to revert to general needs housing, while Larkspur Close and Protheroe House are redeveloped as “extra care” schemes.

All the existing residents would have to be permanently moved from their homes.

The tenants are angry that the council’s consultation meetings at their schemes have been uninformative, and that the meetings have not been minuted properly.
They want the threat to their homes lifted, and their homes restored onto the decent homes programme.

Gwenda Owens of Campbell Court said, “This a successful community, and we don’t want it broken up. We are a family at Campbell Court, and the Bell Estate [Campbell Road and Whitbread Close] is our extended family”.

“We are concerned about how it’s going to affect the pensioners and the local community. There should be better information for the community”, said Janette Lee, Chairperson of the Bell Estate Tenants Association.

“It took me eight years to get into sheltered housing, and the thought of moving is horrible. We really, really want to stay as we are”, said Caroline Page, of Stokley Court.
“We have proved that one of the main arguments for demolition of Larkspur is incorrect: the site will not flood, as long as the Council keeps the drains in the nearby streets clear, as they should do”, said Tyrone Clark, tenant rep at Larkspur Close.

“We don’t want to move!” said Neville Giles, of Protheroe House.

“The council should not move these tenants if they don’t want to go”, said Paul Burnham. “The Council should hold a ballot vote at each scheme on their proposals, and abide by the result”.

The next steps will be the launch of a borough-wide petition, and the lobbying of all councillors.

more info from (and messages of support to)

Paul Burnham, Haringey Defend Council Housing: 07847 714 158
Gwenda Owens, Campbell Court: 020 8808 6958
Tyrone Clark, Larkspur Close: 07745 533 694

Category: Uncategorised
Tags: housing