A RESIDENT in the UK’s “loneliest estate’ is refusing to move out – even though the council plan to demolish her home.
Once a thriving community built in the 1950s to provide flats for single women, Henson Villas in Pearson Park, Hull, has fallen victim to antisocial behaviour in recent years.
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Damp and other issues have led to a high turnover of tenants with the flats now due to be demolished.
And one of the few tenants still left is desperate to stay at the complex despite fearing being forced out.
The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told Hull Live: “I’ve lived here for 35 years.”
“This is my home. I have a living room, a bedroom, a kitchen, a balcony that I can put my plants on. I thought it was wonderful. It has everything I need.
“But the council said they were going to stop letting the (empty) flats. They were condemning the flats to death. This was once a thriving community.”
Once a beautiful block, several of the ground-floor flats are now boarded up and look badly maintained, with broken railings and overgrown foliage.
Exactly 12 months ago, cops closed down one of the flats after it became notorious for drugs and disorder.
It saw officers apply for a Closure Order of the property at Hull Magistrates’ Court.
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At the time, community beat manager Phil Williamson said: “Reports of antisocial behaviour, criminal damage and drug use and supply in the area had increased, and this impacts on the community as a whole.”
The longstanding tenant of 35 years said that she had witnessed antisocial behaviour as someone had even “kidnapped our bins”.
Crime was also a problem for another former resident, who asked not to be identified. She said she had suffered “18 months of hell” at Henson Villas.
The woman – who asked not to be named – said: “People would steal copper pipes from the flats below, as they thought they were derelict. There were people drinking alcohol around the back, smoking, drug users and vandalism.”
The former resident added that she was too scared to sleep at night because of people trying to break in to the flats below her.
Despite the problems, the current resident of over three decades said she was shocked to learn “out of the blue” that the future of the villas was in doubt two years ago.
In the wake of the consultation, most of the residents left.
But the tenant told the council that antisocial behaviour was a “function of people, not buildings” and it was “no reason” to demolish the complex.
She felt boarding up the flats had made the problem worse.
The resident is currently in discussions with the council about alternative accommodation.
She has asked for a first-floor flat and says she is only being offered a ground-floor one.
Hull City Council says the villas will be replaced with new homes and residents will receive a home-loss payment worth more than £7,000.
In a statement, the council said: “Henson Villas are scheduled for demolition and will be replaced with new homes and the intention is that they will be available for rent from the council.
“Residents who are being relocated will receive a £7,800 Home Loss payment, which is the statutory amount.
“Residents who are leaving their homes at Henson Villas will be offered a home which generally meets their needs. Where possible, we do our best to meet specific requests regarding relocation, such as asking for a first-floor flat.
“However, trying to accommodate such requests can narrow the options available and delay relocation. With regard to boarding up the ground floor flats at Henson Villas, residents were notified in advance and it was explained that it was a security measure to deter anti-social behaviour.
“It is standard practice to remove waste and recycling bins when council homes are vacated. In November the bins for the 13 empty flats were collected, leaving a full complement of bins for the remaining residents.”
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