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Waites site is not the scene of ‘battle for old people’s homes’
• WITH regards the redevelopment of the Waites Houses (Battle to save old people’s homes, October 9), you have overlooked two years of hard work and commitment from both ourselves and the tenants on the scheme to achieve a design that will rehouse the existing tenants in decent-sized accommodation, built to modern standards of heat and sound insulation, a design which you neglected to report, actually fully supported by the majority of tenants.
Over 70,000 people are living in temporary accommodation in London alone.
The new development will provide a number of homes more suitable for families, as well as a substantial amount of green space in and around the development.
It is true that the public consultation we held revealed a number of contradictory opinions amid local people about what they felt would be a fitting replacement for the current building.
However, we have worked very closely with the existing tenants over the past two years to provide a two-stage, high-quality development that minimises the impact any works will have on tenants and enables them to be housed onsite and moved into the first new homes when they are built.
To report that there is a “battle to save old people’s homes” is misrepresentative of the situation to say the least. It is also of concern that the article failed to consult the tenants’ association for their comments, who support the proposals.
Several of the tenants were most upset by the demonstration held by Combined Residents of South Hampstead, which your article featured, as it seems they, too, did not feel it necessary to notify the tenants’ association or ask their opinions.
It seems odd that “impartial” reporting about a scheme that will house local people should accredit a number of different sources but fail to seek the opinions of the people who it will affect most – those who are going to be housed?
The fate of the homes is now left in the hands of the local planners to decide, who we hope will take full account of the involvement of the tenants in the design as well as the desperate need to provide affordable family accommodation in the area.
GRAHAME HINDES
Chief Executive of Octavia Housing
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