Ladderswood residents call for better pipes and heaters

There are currently three short-listed bidders hoping to snare the contract for the £80m regeneration, which aims to create 365 new homes.

Mulalley & Co Ltd, Barratts and Notting Hill Housing Trust have laid out their plans for the area, which were developed with support from the Ladderswood Estate Residents' Design Panel.

Speaking to the Enfield Independent, residents were undecided about which proposals they preferred, but said their main priorities were the heating and water systems.

None of the flats have central heating and rely on blowers in the front room, while the water pipes frequently leaked, they said.

They also want better insulation and ventilation as the flats become extremely hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Kelly Brien, 28, who has lived in Curtis House with her nine-year-old son for a year, said: "The heaters are really bad. They only work in the lounge and they just blow out dust all the time.

"In the winter it's freezing cold and in the summer it's far too hot, so we're hoping we can get central heating. At the moment we pay £18 for this, which is ridiculous.

"In winter I tape the windows up with duct tape to try to stop the draughts and keep the place warm."

She added: "The plumbing system doesn't work, either. Sometimes when you flush the toilet there's a really bad smell. Last month we didn't have water for two days when they were trying to fix it."

The redevelopment is the first project proposed under Enfield Council's New Southgate Masterplan.

It will create 365 new homes and refurbish 35, 60 per cent of which will be private and 40 per cent of which will be affordable.

Current plans propose a mix of flats, maisonettes with gardens and more than 100 family houses with gardens.

The scheme also provides space for a 300sq metre community facility and can accommodate 3,000sq metres of commercial space.

Resident Robert Edwards, 74, who has been living in Mason House on the estate for 42 years, was concerned the flats should remain spacious and sunny.

He said: "The estate is well past its sell-by date at the moment and is falling apart, so it will be a good thing when this redevelopment is done and dusted.

"At the moment the flats are really big and spacious, so we would like like-for-like. Sometimes these new builds can be quite small and dark."

Mother-of-two Marian Ojakweh, 34, who has lived in Mason House for seven years, said she was "dreading the winter" because of the inadequate heating system.

"We only have blowers in our living room, which isn't enough," she said. "We need central heating.

"We also need more light as the flats are quite dark, and it would be good to have verandahs."

All five residents approached by the Enfield Independent agreed a community centre would be a good idea to help keep youngsters off the streets, and put improved green spaces high on their wish list.

They also called for better security, saying some of the metal external doors were too easily broken, leading to vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

The faulty door to Curtis House is due to be fixed in the next few weeks after Labour leadership contender David Miliband targeted the estate as part of his "Movement for Change" initiative.

He focused on the Ladderswood Way Estate because he believed it had been "neglected" by the three Conservative councillors and MP.

Ms Brien said: "The door has been broken since I moved in a year ago. Everyone has complained about it to the council, but nothing has been done.

"It's good to hear it will be fixed. It is a big problem. You can just pull the handle and walk in, and all the teenaged boys come in and smoke and shout and sometimes wee on the stairs. It's horrible."

For more information about the Ladderswood Way Estate redevelopment contact Neil Vokes at 020 8379 1781 or neil.vokes@enfield.gov.uk.

What would you like developers to prioritise in the Ladderswood Estate redevelopment? Leave your comments below.