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8:05am Thursday 17th July 2008
A close-knit community of almost 100 pensioners will be evicted from their homes by the council to make way for a new housing development.
Many of the 85 residents of the sheltered housing scheme in Cheam Village have lived there for decades.
There have been some tears shed in this past week."
Marion Rainford
But last week Sutton Council told them they would all have to be rehoused as their homes were to be demolished to make way for a new development of "affordable housing".
At an emotional meeting at Elizabeth House on Tuesday, one resident shouted: "We need companionship, if you put us in one-bedroom flats you might as well throw us in prison."
Another cried: "How can you sleep at night knowing you are killing off old people?"
The homes to be knocked down are in Mickleham Gardens, Elizabeth House, Malden Road and Pond Hill Gardens.
The OAPs could be forced to leave their homes in just six months but work will not start until 2012.
One resident, Marion Rainford, 70, said: "There have been some tears shed in this past week.
"We are heartbroken at the thought of being uprooted and separated from long-standing friendships, some going back a couple of decades or more. I'm one of the young ones at 70, there are some people here in their late 90s and some with very serious heart conditions.
"The wardens have been picking up the pieces since we received these letters. We are in an ideal situation here for elderly and disabled people as the village provides us with just about every facility and amenity we need. No clambering around on buses which many of us cannot do, and always someone around to chat to. We have coffee mornings, fish and chip lunches, and bingo if you fancy it. I will do anything to try and keep us here."
Sisters Margaret Adams and MAry Silcox do not know if they will be rehoused near each other.
"I absolutely love it here," said another 68-year-old resident. "Everything you need is on your doorstep. This is all about money at the end of the day, and we are not a profitable bunch."
A council spokesman said: "The houses are not fit for purpose and it would not be cost-effective to refurbish and remodel them."
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mrs james, sutton says...
9:31am Thu 17 Jul 08
P, says...
9:55am Thu 17 Jul 08
Rob, Sutton says...
10:43am Thu 17 Jul 08
Francesgar, Surrey, UK says...
10:49am Thu 17 Jul 08
John, Morden says...
12:57pm Thu 17 Jul 08
John, Morden says...
12:57pm Thu 17 Jul 08
John, Morden says...
12:59pm Thu 17 Jul 08
RG, Surrey says...
3:08pm Thu 17 Jul 08
John wrote:John, will this be before or after you call the adult services lines to help with the boredom you suffer being so CLEARLY bedridden (yes, I've read your other posts).
What a disgrace! I for one will be relieving myself outside the Council building this afternoon, making clear my reasons for doing so. Who's with me?
T, wallington says...
3:17pm Thu 17 Jul 08
mr pm doyle, 1pondhill gardens cheam sutton surrey says...
3:41pm Thu 17 Jul 08
John, Morden says...
3:45pm Thu 17 Jul 08
Vernony, UK National site says...
5:52pm Thu 17 Jul 08
joseph, Sutton says...
11:55am Fri 18 Jul 08
carly, london says...
2:38pm Fri 18 Jul 08
lucie, sutton says...
3:28pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Lynne Boyer, says...
3:41pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Lynne Boyer, Cheam says...
3:48pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Adrian Short, Sutton says...
4:20pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Heidi, Sutton says...
6:12pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Jen, Sutton, Surrey, UK says...
6:41pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Mrs. Doreen Taylor, Fetcham Surrey says...
12:21pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Lorraine, Sutton says...
11:23am Sun 20 Jul 08
Councillor Colin Stears, Executive Member for Housing, Sutton says...
2:59pm Mon 21 Jul 08
Bob downes, sutton says...
11:57pm Mon 21 Jul 08
Fran, Sutton, UK says...
11:57pm Mon 21 Jul 08
Councillor Colin Stears, Executive Member for Housing wrote:Cllr.Stear's missive regarding the residents of Elizabeth House lead me to say that in six-months time it will be next-year and then he went onto contradict himself by saying that the earliest date for completion is unlikely to be before 2012 having previously said that this was wrong. These are very elderly residents........thi
This report (17th July) on Elizabeth House is highly misleading and one which has caused much undue concern for older and vulnerable residents.
We take particular issue with the headline suggesting we are evicting the residents. We are doing no such thing and we wish to reassure residents.
All of the residents will be rehoused and Sutton Council is fully consulting with the residents of Elizabeth House to assess their needs. The council takes full responsibility for rehousing and will do so with the utmost care and attention, providing individual support to residents throughout the process. Your report also fails to mention that all the residents will have the option to return.
The objective of the regeneration scheme is to develop the site to provide new and modern homes fit for the 21st century for older people. The council wishes to improve the standards of the accommodation on offer to the residents. The new housing will be built to modern standards and offer residents a more independent lifestyle and enable them to continue to live as a close-knit community.
We will carry out a feasibility study with the developer, when appointed, to consider the option of a rolling programme of building at the site, in order to minimize disruption to the most vulnerable residents.
Your report incorrectly states that the old people will be forced to leave their homes in just six months and work will not start until 2012. This is absolutely not the case. The council anticipate that rehousing will not start until next year and that the process will take between a minimum of 12 to 18 months. The earliest date for completion is unlikely to be before 2012.
Nobby Heath, Cheam says...
12:04am Tue 22 Jul 08
Councillor Colin Stears, Executive Member for Housing wrote:Councillor, what you fail to grasp here is the fact that taking these vulnerable people out of sheltered accommodation and putting them into individual dwellings is going to reduce their quality of life drastically! Their one common pleasure in their twilight years is the togetherness they have. As you drive home to your family tonight councillor, just remember that your actions will condemn these elderly people to a very lonely existence in their final years.
This report (17th July) on Elizabeth House is highly misleading and one which has caused much undue concern for older and vulnerable residents. We take particular issue with the headline suggesting we are evicting the residents. We are doing no such thing and we wish to reassure residents. All of the residents will be rehoused and Sutton Council is fully consulting with the residents of Elizabeth House to assess their needs. The council takes full responsibility for rehousing and will do so with the utmost care and attention, providing individual support to residents throughout the process. Your report also fails to mention that all the residents will have the option to return. The objective of the regeneration scheme is to develop the site to provide new and modern homes fit for the 21st century for older people. The council wishes to improve the standards of the accommodation on offer to the residents. The new housing will be built to modern standards and offer residents a more independent lifestyle and enable them to continue to live as a close-knit community. We will carry out a feasibility study with the developer, when appointed, to consider the option of a rolling programme of building at the site, in order to minimize disruption to the most vulnerable residents. Your report incorrectly states that the old people will be forced to leave their homes in just six months and work will not start until 2012. This is absolutely not the case. The council anticipate that rehousing will not start until next year and that the process will take between a minimum of 12 to 18 months. The earliest date for completion is unlikely to be before 2012.
John, Surrey, UK says...
9:23am Tue 22 Jul 08
Jack, London says...
9:25am Tue 22 Jul 08
baldie, leicester says...
4:53pm Tue 22 Jul 08
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Fears: Resident Margaret Adams, 89 says: "My sister and I have lived in Sutton all our lives. Even during the war we were here. We do not want to move anywhere. I have lived here for three years, but I used to come here before that for the bingo, as my si
Mary Silcox, 92, said: "My sister and I cannot be broken up. Now I'm 92, there are certain things that I cannot do, I need her around. I wouldn't feel comfortable with anyone else helping me. It's great here, we have the bingo, the coffee mornings. We pla
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m. johnson, mitcham says...
8:51am Thu 17 Jul 08