Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Maria Elizabeth Prior on April 13, 2015 at 18:13

Hello Laurence.  You say police, Estate staff, and contractors were very quickly on site after this occurred.  I believe the police quickly attended, and contractors were there only today, putting up scaffolding, but as this happened over the weekend, and, as the Estate Office is closed over that period, there would not be estate staff on hand until Monday morning.  

This incident is very worrying, especially as somebody could have been seriously injured, or killed if they had been there at the time all this tiling fell down.  This is not the first time that something like this has happened.  It raises the question as to precisely what steps are taken to ensure our safety.  

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alan Line on April 13, 2015 at 20:12

WOW - a lot of us have been expecting some windows to fall out at some point but to see the external tile cladding come down like this.............

Doesn't this just show how neglected Golden Lane Estate has become!

We can all see it is run down - now it looks like it is actually falling down as well!

Can't even see this being covered in the refurbishment plan we were given at one of the meetings a while ago - which just makes me think that it's far to little and far too late.

Anyone else noticed they're allocating just a few thousand £  per flat for windows? Which can't be right can it?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by nathan on April 13, 2015 at 20:46

I was told by someone of some knowledge and qualification that when GLE was built Wimpy the contractor were mixing the concrete with salt which resulted in estate wide major repairs 40 years ago, where all the weakened concrete had to be removed replaced and repaired, it took a team of approximately one hundred people a year, and apparently drove the residents to distraction, sand blasting etc, so it shouldn't come as a big surprise  if  a lot of major issues  appear.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by David Kreikmeier-Watson on April 14, 2015 at 13:06

Hi Everyone - as the Chair of GLERA I have sent the following to our Alderman [David Graves], local City Councilman [Gareth Moore] and key Members of the Housing Committee:                                                                                                          

 

Dear Alderman Graves

 

You may, or may not, be aware that at approximately 10.45pm on Saturday (11th April) a sizeable chunk of the external end cladding of Stanley Cohen House on the Golden Lane Estate collapsed onto the footpath below (please see attached pictures).

 

Fortunately, no-one was injured or killed.

 

I am sure that both Councilman Gareth Moore and yourself are aware that the Golden Lane Estate Residents Association has raised serious concerns with Housing Management about various structural issues on the Estate.

 

While we have been successful in some areas (for example, in gaining acceptance for our arguments about the damaging impact of using salt to clear snow), all too often our concerns are simply dismissed by Housing Management.

Unfortunately, this incident does little to instil confidence in the judgement of Housing Management, especially when aligned with the widespread feeling that the Estate has generally been allowed to fall into disrepair and that it now contrasts unfavourably with those of other, nearby, social housing agencies.

 

Perhaps this incident might encourage the Housing Management and Almshouses Sub-Committee to urgently review both the timetable and the resources for refurbishment of the Estate?

 

I have copied Gareth, the Sub-Committee Chair and Deputies into this letter; I will also be posting it on the Golden Lane website.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

David Kreikmeier-Watson

GLERA Chair

 

• ▶ Reply