Richmond estate could be bulldozed and rebuilt

Residents on Ham Close estate said they are “desperate” for new homes where they won’t be plagued by health conditions, black mould and damp.

The plans from Hill Residential would see all 192 flats across 14 blocks on the estate demolished for 452 new homes – in blocks up to six storeys tall.

Ham and Petersham Youth Club and Richmond MakersLab would be rebuilt.

Richmond Housing Partnership would manage the 221 affordable homes on the estate.

The application will now be referred to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan for a final decision.

Mandy Jenkins has lived on the estate for 28 years and said residents “deserve a better and safer home where we won’t be plagued by health problems”. 

She told Richmond Council’s planning committee on December 14 that locals are “desperate for this to happen”.

She said: “Many of our homes are poorly-designed, cannot be insulated and are therefore prone to damp and mould.

"They are not built to modern-day standards. For us a better home would mean one that stays warm and dry, especially in the winter, and doesn’t cost the earth to heat.

“Many residents struggle with carrying heavy shopping, buggies and children up several flights of stairs to their homes and many families live in overcrowded conditions.

"Some of my neighbours moved to Ham Close in the 1960s and are now in their 80s and they all struggle on a daily basis – we need lifts.”

She added: “None of us residents have any private outdoor space, we deserve a place to hang our washing, garden and relax.

"Our children deserve to play outside safely without fear of vehicles on roads.”

Green councillor Andrée Frieze said the “greenest choice would have been to keep the existing buildings” and retrofit them.

But she said: “I know far too well the way funding for social housing works and that means that this option was deemed unaffordable and residents were given the choice of demolition and rebuild or do nothing.

"Residents quite rightly chose the former to give them better living conditions.”

Locals living close to the estate raised concerns about the scale of the revamp, local services being overwhelmed and traffic problems from the increase in residents.

Mr Atkin said: “I’m not against the redevelopment, I wish to see those flats replaced but I don’t wish to see that happen at the expense of the wider community.” 

David Done, chief executive of RHP, said homes on the estate are small and have “no or very poor insulation and that means they are prone to damp and condensation”, along with no private outdoor space or lifts.

He said the new homes would address these issues.

He added: “Whilst the properties meet the decent homes standard, they have fundamental problems we can’t resolve through normal maintenance or refurbishment.” 

Kirsty Dougan, representing Hill Residential, said: “The construction process and management will be thoroughly considered and sensitive to the needs of the local community.

"We want to take this opportunity to reiterate that Hill and RHP are committed to delivering a positive and lasting legacy from the regeneration of Ham Close.” 

Councillors said the scheme was the best for the site.

They unanimously agreed to recommend the application for approval.

It will now be referred to Mr Khan who will have 14 days to decide to allow the council’s decision to stand, direct refusal or take over the application.