Residents of damp-hit council estate back plans for demolition

Residents of the mould and damp infested Regina Road council estate in Croydon have approved plans to demolish and rebuild their homes following a ballot.

The turnout of eligible voters from the estate was 81.7%, of which 88.1% voted yes while 11.9% voted against regeneration of the estate. The ballot was independently run by Civica Election Services.

The ballot, which closed on 22nd May, related to a specified area of Regina Road which includes the three 11-storey tower blocks and a number of low-rise blocks and houses, such as Sunny Bank numbers 1-8B.

The project is part of executive mayor Jason Perry’s commitment to invest in and improve standards in council homes and put residents at the heart of decisions about housing services.

The Regina Road estate came to national attention in 2021 following reports by ITV News that revealed the dreadful conditions many residents were living in, including leaks, damp and black mould.

The reports prompted an independent inquiry and a regulatory investigation that found the council guilty of breaching standards.

The ‘Yes’ vote in the residents’ ballot will be reported back to the mayor and council cabinet to inform future decisions about the project. Cabinet will also be asked to consider authorising the council to apply for Greater London Authority (GLA) funding to support delivery of this project.

The council said it had been working closely with Regina Road residents to develop the options for the future of their homes, and approved plans for a ballot at cabinet in March.

This follows extensive engagement throughout last year, when residents were invited to open meetings, drop-ins and a number of community events where they could see and discuss the proposals and have their questions answered.

It is not yet clear where residents will be accommodated while the regeneration takes place.

Croydon Executive Mayor Perry said: ‘I’d like to thank Regina Road residents for getting involved and having their say on the future of the Regina Road estate. The council will continue to work with them and listen to their views as the project progresses. My thanks go out to deputy mayor and cabinet member for homes, Cllr Lynne Hale, and our staff who have worked so hard on this issue.

‘All council tenants and leaseholders should expect to have warm, safe and dry homes that they are proud to live in and I am committed to delivering this pledge as part of the transformation of Croydon’s housing service.’

Image: Ruslan Khadyev