A+ A A-

The final betrayal at Wornington Green; new buildings 'shoddy and leaking'

By Emma Dent Coad
 
The Dream...
 
Back in the dim mists of time, the residents of Wornington Green were involved in selecting contractors for the first phase of the unwanted development of their homes. Small recompense, but the winners Mansells seemed to be decent, straightforward and said they would work with the community – and so they did.
 
Once the first phase of demolition was over, however – and this is where  fact and rumour meld – Mansells were allegedly thrown unceremonially off the site one day and new contractor Ardmore brought in.
 
Whether this was due, as some said, to the new lot dropping the price by £10m or not, we have no idea. Rumours continue to abound.
 
There has been a lot of debate about the quality of the old buildings in relation to their maintenance, to the design of the new buildings in relation to what they could have achieved, and about who genuinely wanted what, and why. 
 
Let’s just say, the money won.
 
But here is a chilling and undeniable fact. The first original residents have moved in. I went to see how their new buildings were treating them. I was horrified. Here’s why.
 
- the reality:
 
Mismatched door mystery
Mismatched door mystery
 
Wibbly wobbly windows
Wibbly wobbly windows
 
Detailing disasters
Detailing disasters
 
Wibbly wobbly doors
Wibbly wobbly doors
 
Broken pretend stone
Broken pretend stone
 
Cladding catastrophe
Cladding catastrophe
 
Glue gun terror
Glue gun terror
 
More glue gun terror
More glue gun terror
 
We were forced to accept a banal and compromised design, but how anyone can get away with such appalling build quality is simply beyond me; as far as the woodwork is concerned I've seen better sheds built with scrap. Have the overseas buyers of the private homes seen what they are buying for their £ms?
 
Not a shed made of scraps ...
Not a shed made of scraps ...
 
This is the £1m Show House; note window frame
This is the £1m Show House; note window frame
 
Note peeling paint, dodgy window frames
Note peeling paint, dodgy window frames
 
PRIZE PICTURE: NOTE VERTICALS ARE NOT VERTICAL
PRIZE PICTURE: NOTE VERTICALS ARE NOT VERTICAL 
 
Now we are informed that ‘social’ housing provider Catalyst wish to speed up the next stage ‘so that residents can move into their new homes more quickly’. Such a degree of philanthropy seems extremely unlikely so we will leave the real reason to conjecture.
 
And we will just have to hope the first phase (which we hear has been subject to leaks) doesn’t fall down before the second phase is built.
  
 Emma Dent Coad is a  Labour Councillor for the Golborne Ward. She has her own blog at http://emmadentcoad.blogspot.com      
 
{module Facebook FanBox for articles}
 
{module Related articles} 
 
 
 
 

Comments   

#2 Emma Dent Coad 2013-09-11 16:55
The residents in the Wornington Road block who have already suffered leaks from dodgy pipes, taps coming off in their hands, the rooms are tiny and they can't fit their furniture in, single aspect crappy views, also leaks in Bonchurch Road, very poor finishing, and I'd say pretty well all the traders are unhappy with their lock-ups.
#1 Charlie Caselton 2013-09-01 16:21
Having spoken to a couple of the old residents who have now moved in to the new block they seem very pleased with things. Which of the old residents have you spoken to Ms Dent Coad?

More News

Prev Next

Hits:15930

Two meetings, one voice

Two meeting…

You had to be there. North and south of the boro...

Read more

Hits:42874

New Site

New Site

We're back ;)   Read more: New Site...

Read more

Hits:16661

Corbyn Won Kensington Nomination

Corbyn Won …

On July 21st Jeremy Corbyn overwhelmingly won th...

Read more

Hits:16383

Hats-off to Micky P: Portobello Live 3rd/4th May

Hats-off to…

Reflecting on the Portobello Live Festival - by ...

Read more

Hits:20644

Portobello community stands up against plans to turn iconic area into bland shopping centre

Portobello

Hundreds of protestors, including children and p...

Read more

Hits:17990

Leon Löwentraut at the The Muse Gallery

Leon Löwent…

Never too early to become a full fledged artist ...

Read more

More News 2

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
Prev Next

Hits:19144

Greferendum: an anthology

Greferendum…

Thinking of Greece. ...

Read more

Hits:15773

Pink Cigar video release

Pink Cigar …

 Local down’n’dirty rock’n’roll outfit Pink Ciga...

Read more

Hits:24122

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular

Gaz’s Rocki…

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular ...

Read more

Hits:17369

Interactive Video Art at The Dissenters Gallery Catacombs

Interactive…

On Saturday 4 July, 11-5pm, a chance to see the ...

Read more

Hits:18249

"Exposed" a Solo Show by Louis-Nicholas Darbon

"Expos…

 Coming up Thursday- June 4th -  at the Graffik ...

Read more

Hits:17117

Mock The Opera Protest @ Holland Park

Mock The Op…

A protest is taking place tomorrow at the Hollan...

Read more

Hits:17857

Where next for Labour?

Where next …

 Labour’s defeat in the UK general election on M...

Read more

Hits:17804

Artists For Nepal – local benefit gig for Nepal

Artists For…

 Thursday May 21st at the Elgin with music, film...

Read more

Hits:17430

RED ALERT by Maximilian Wiedemann

RED ALERT b…

West Bank last exhibition at the current buildin...

Read more

PEOPLE & PLACES

Prev Next

Hits:22479

Ostuni Queen's Park by M. Kuehn

Ostuni Que…

Having recently savoured the delights of the ver...

Read more

Hits:16383

Hats-off to Micky P: Portobello Live 3rd/4th May

Hats-off t…

Reflecting on the Portobello Live Festival - by ...

Read more

Hits:18268

Canal Deli food review

Canal Deli…

Canal deli - lovely people - scrumptious food or...

Read more

Hits:19035

Why hipster incursions into the KPH might not be a bad thing.

Why hipste…

I visited the KPH on Ladbroke Grove last evening...

Read more

Hits:17526

Source Mag Christmas treats IV

Source Mag…

Fine Bone China Tableware Upcycled Vintage Ceram...

Read more

Hits:16326

Source Mag Christmas treats III

Source Mag…

One of the kind hats, flowers, decorative hand c...

Read more

Hits:15851

Source Mag Christmas treats II

Source Mag…

Have you ever thought of offering a family docum...

Read more

Hits:15834

Source Mag Christmas treats I

Source Mag…

Coalition Colouring Book by Tom Pride. ...

Read more

Hits:15878

Want to get involved with online radio?

Want to ge…

K2K Radio wants to hear from you! ...

Read more

Hits:18591

Reflection on breaking barricades

Reflection…

From protesting with Anonymous to connecting wit...

Read more

Local Events Calendar

<<  <  February 2025  >  >>
 Mo  Tu  We  Th  Fr  Sa  Su 
     
  

Upcoming Events

Fb

writers pic2

We're looking for writers! Join in! (scroll down the article)

Rants

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7

I don't do …

I don't do rants. But,

...it's a rant! ...

Read more

Last Night …

Last Night I Dreamt...

"I could see the body of Kim Kardashian..." ...

Read more

Portobello …

Portobello drinkers 'harassed' by children

  From our sports correspondent Dave 'the ...

Read more

Everyone’s …

Everyone’s a F*****g DJ

by Kensal Scream  At long last! Another salvo f...

Read more

Lap dogs …

Lap dogs & devil dogs - the final solution

By Kensal Scream Time for another rant by the K...

Read more

Trains and …

Trains and  lycra pants

 By Kensal Scream That Really Grinds my Gears i...

Read more

An e-mail f…

An e-mail from Billy Connolly?

We can not be sure that  it’s his but it co...

Read more

Your Experience

Popular

Error: No articles to display

review and preview

Login or Sign Up