Works all around Tollgate House going up

With all the talk of regeneration or not on the Ebury Bridge Estate and Church St in the City of Westminster, spare a thought for the residents of Tollgate House in the regeneration of their Estate by the Council.

At this very moment, its residents feel stranded in the middle of a building site where their air and light easement that they normally enjoy is being blocked by the works happening right under their nose. The building works have come out of the ground on all three sides of Tollgate House, to the front and back of them as well as their side, casting a shadow over them. This apart from the usual noise and air pollution that comes from a building site.  This is no doubt causing great stress to many residents in Tollgate House, trying to go about their daily lives.

Living on a building site from your front door!

Getting into Tollgate House is no fun at all!

One has to wonder how this proposal ever got the go ahead without highlighting what it would mean to the remaining residents in Tollgate House during the building works? It certainly appears to have been a major oversight by the council and the developers of the regeneration, Noma. They should be compensated at least by being put up in alternative accommodation during the building works by the developers in the hotel opposite. If not at least, not having to pay service charges during the whole period of the works for the stress and strain of living in a building site. So while Noma sell sophisticated living on their website, it has not taken on board the poor conditions many are having to endure while their development comes up around them for residents of Tollgate House. 

It adds further prove that these regeneration proposals on old council estates in London should have a ballot of residents, before they are handed over to the developers. Then the developers and council would have to satisfy the residents of all their concerns and make undertakings that reassure the residents at least during the works themselves. So there are clearly lessons to be learnt for further regeneration proposals in City of Westminster, particularly for residents who could find themselves living in the middle of a building site.

Living in a Building site on your doorstep