‘Decanted’ from the Carpenters Estate in Newham – a former resident speaks out

Carpenters Estate, evictions, housing crisis, housing struggles, Newham council,

Below are the words of a former resident of the Carpenters Estate in Stratford, Newham, London E15. After decades in her home, she was forced out by the council in the run up to the Olympics. The Labour Council, led by Robin Wales, was champion of gentrification and social cleansing. It is an outrage, that the homes that people were forced to leave have remained empty ever since. The writer below can still look up at the windows of her beloved home in one of three deserted tower blocks on the Carpenters Estate. Shame on Newham. An apology is long overdue, and reparations are still awaited. The pressure is on the new Mayor and her council to immediately refurbish and repopulate the Carpenters Estate.

The decant out of Dennison Point – Carpenters Estate.

I lived at Dennison for many many years, the decant was a sad day for me. Residents were told by the council that after refurbishment of Dennison Point, those who wished to return would be able to do so. I was moved out in one day, there was no time given to think about leaving. I had no cooking appliance for a few weeks because the new location did not have gas. So I phoned someone who told me that there was money allocated for cooking appliances. One would think that these necessities would have been sorted out before I moved in to the flat.

It is plain to see that Dennison Point has no defect and therefore should not be demolished.

I lost my friends.

Many of the committee spoke out and the council did not expect the news to be in the open.

I am standing with Focus E15 campaign, who are passionate about the right for social housing. They are giving a voice to the people who are being pushed out of council homes and out of the area where they have lived with their friends and relatives.

 

 

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4 thoughts on “‘Decanted’ from the Carpenters Estate in Newham – a former resident speaks out”

  1. Thanks and respect to our courageous comrade for sharing her expriences. I know from my own visits to Newham that there are many empty properties and that the Olympis farce was a waste of money and time. More building has been “promised” for far too long-keep up the good and needed work comrades-solidarity

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  3. Reblogged this on and commented:
    We make no apology for keeping on about social cleansing from London. This account from a former resident speaks about the sense of loss they feel about being torn away from a community where they felt they belonged. Every person or household that has been moved out of London down here to Essex against their will has a human story to tell. Ignore what the divide and rule merchants out here say about people moving out of London and ‘taking our homes’. That is divisive and all too often, racist crap. Whether it’s out here in Essex or back in London, the fight for decent affordable housing is one fight that will only be won if we all stay united.

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  4. I’ve lived on the estate 47 years. I tell you the facts, the estate is still there, TV crews used the flats for the Olympics even though Newham fucking Council (sorry peeps) said the flats were unsafe to live in. (They lied to the residents) Some people are still living in those blocks (all three have people living in them, Dennison, James and Lund) and more have moved in. The flats are not unsafe! I myself, was told my flat was going to be demolished for the Olympics, yet my flat is still there and someone is living there. I could have kept my flat instead of taking the money from Newham Council (Leasehold sale.) Those who lived on the estate know it was a vibrant happy mixed community, everyone got along and we had a lot of laughs – not much crime, drugs, muggings, rape, none of that. What’s happened is clear. The powers above have clearly decided the Olympics was at risk from the likes of us living on the estate, presuming we are a rough lot and all the tourists would be attacked and robbed! Really, it’s true, they wanted everyone off the estate for that reason alone – not considering we are a sociable bunch and would embrace the Olympics, a good East London welcome is what the tourists would have got! – there was no reason to kick everyone off the estate – the powers above thought the worst of us – and that’s why everyone was moved off the estate – it’s absolutely disgusting what has happened. There must be a good lawyer out there who can take up the case of every resident that was forced out for no reason and sue Newham Council and London Legacy Development Corporation, for what they have needlessly done to their lives and our community. I read this today (below), the last paragraph is a joke and Gareth Bacon, at the London Assembly, should be asked to look into this scandal too.
    Gareth Bacon, chairman of the London Assembly budget monitoring sub-committee where Brady was speaking, said the legal disputes between the two parties “need to stop”.
    “We have discovered that the London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who promised more than a year ago to take personal charge of the stadium, has only met Baroness Brady once,” he added.
    “However, we were pleased to hear today some thawing in the relationship has taken place. We would urge both sides to build a more constructive relationship to protect the Olympics’ legacy for Londoners.”
    PROTECT THE OLYMPICS LEGACY OF LONDONERS = CARPENTERS RESIDENTS BEING NEEDLESSLY TURFED OFF THE ESTATE FOR NO REASON THAN TO PROTECT THE OLYMPICS AND IT’S VISITORS, I.E SOCIAL CLEANSING.
    IF THERE IS A LAWYER READING THIS OR YOU KNOW A LAWYER WHO THINKS THERE IS A MASSIVE COMPENSATION CLAIM TO BE ADDRESSED HERE, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH BY EMAIL. REGARDS, LEE HUBY. leehuby@gmail.com

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