RESIDENTS living across from a flattened estate have told how they look over a “warzone” as they drink their morning coffee.
The sparse ruins of Maryon Grove Estate in Woolwich have cast an eerie shadow over those living next door.
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Behind a bright pink security fence most of the estate has been flattened, with piles of rubble becoming home to a number of stray cats.
But three corners of what was once a 172-home estate still remain standing – albeit derelict.
Residents living on Maryon Road told Sun Online all work to demolish the remaining buildings stopped in November, and they don’t know why.
Lesley Lawrence, 64, described the land next door as a “warzone” as she slammed the council for appearing to abandon the project.
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She said: “It looks like a warzone. It’s not much of a view.”
She revealed the estate was “not very nice before” but said the now barren wasteland was worse.
“The estate wasn’t very nice before. The company demolishing it has now gone into administration and there’s not much we can do about it. It’s not nice at all.
“We had kids going on the site. Now it’s finally been made secure but it ain’t nice at all when you come out on the balcony.”
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Video shows an excavator smashing through the doomed estate’s blocks as dust billows into the air.
The deafening demolition noise neighbours bear the brunt of is also evident in footage.
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Rosa, 45, who didn’t want to give her surname, revealed the site used to be victim to arson and squatters before it was made secure.
She said: “I haven’t seen anyone there for two months. They started the demolition in September but since November it’s been like this. They started and just left it. It doesn’t look nice.
“The buildings were ugly and last summer there were a lot of fires. There were homeless living there. It’s just not nice to look out at it like this.”
John Phillips, 55, said the site now “looks awful”.
He added: “They very slowly moved everyone out. People were holding out to get the better option for where to move to.
“I knew a couple living there who’d bought their flat and had problems getting it valued properly. It’s not a nice site.”
But not all residents were upset by the flattening of the development.
It is like a warzone. The company demolishing it has now gone into administration and there’s not much we can do about it
Lesley Lawrence, Maryon Grove resident
Adeyemi Adenuga, 55, told how his view over London has been unparalleled since the building was knocked down.
He lives on a lower floor of a four-storey block of flats so cannot see the state of the demolished site beyond the fence.
But he can see incredible views across London’s skyline – and often stands outside his front door to watch the sunset.
He added: “I’ve lived here for more than 15 years. To be able to see the views past where the flats were is so great.
“You can see so far. We watch the sun setting. It’s beautiful. We watch the planes taking off from City airport.”
He slammed the “terrible” demolition site and “gaudy” security fence.
‘HORRIBLE NOISE’
“The demolition site is terrible. We block it out and try to see beyond. You can’t put money on the views beyond it.
“I don’t understand why some of it has been left behind. The pink fence is gaudy but we’re used to it by now.”
During demolition the family had to deal with a “thick layer of dust” that settled on their car, and they couldn’t open their windows.
He added: ” The noise was horrible. My wife’s a nurse and sleeps during the day.
“She couldn’t sleep during the construction. We’re dreading new housing being built on the land.
“When the homes were empty there were a lot of fires. They had to board it up. It was open before.
“You want to wake up to something beautiful, when you look over this, it’s a bad start to the day. I’m glad I’m downstairs and don’t have to look over the rubble every day.
“I feel sorry for people on higher levels.”
Therese Bush, 65, told how she was glad the demolition had begun because the empty flats had begun to draw drug dealers and arsonists.
It doesn’t matter what your house looks like, no one wants to live next door to chaos
Therese Bush, Maryon Grove resident
She said: “It was worse a year ago. It was open to everyone. It was just empty flats. There were drug dealers, fires, the fire brigade was being called. So this quite frankly is an improvement.
“The problem is I don’t think you can blame anyone.
“Lovell employed someone to knock it down and they went bust.
“These were the last bits that had the power running in them so they left those until last. In the meantime they went bust.
“I don’t care about the horrible view as long as there’s no anti-social behaviour and it’s quiet. It doesn’t matter what your house looks like, no one wants to live next door to chaos.”
Greenwich Council took vacant possession of the estate in 2021.
There are plans for 165 homes to be eventually built at the site – including 60 council properties.
COUNCIL HIT BACK
A Greenwich Council spokesperson said: “The Maryon Grove Estate is part of the Council’s £557million Woolwich Estates programme, in partnership with Lovell and PA Housing, to create 1,615 brand new homes – hundreds of which will be available for affordable rent to people on the Council’s housing register.
“Demolition of the empty blocks to make way for these new, high-quality homes, started in September last year.
“Works were scheduled to complete at the end of 2023, however due to the contractor going into administration, works had to stop.
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“A new contractor has now been appointed and demolition works will be complete by mid-May.”
Sun Online has contacted Lovell contractors for comment.
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