Residents demand help to clean up Walsgrave housing estate

[dutchman]

Residents who are striving to keep their Coventry estate tidy say they are having to sort the mess out themselves.



Photos of Walsgrave Gardens, off Boswell Drive, show thrown-out mattresses and boxes of rubbish strewn across the road in the cul-de-sac in Walsgrave.

One of the residents trying his best to keep the estate looking in good condition is Keith Constable who remembers when vandalism was a common occurrence.

However he says that is all behind them as a number of neighbours have come together to keep the area clean.

And 74-year-old, who believes that about 20 per cent of the 90 or so dwellings in Walsgrave Gardens are fully owned while the rest belong to Orbit Housing, feels that the housing company is not shouldering its share of the responsibility.

Keith said: “Every month we have a walkabout and clear-up on the estate and the dumping of rubbish now is phenomenal. It is dragging the estate down and it could then lead to vandalism.

“A few years ago the estate was pretty bad with lots of vandalism but we managed to cure that and we don’t want it to start up again.

“Orbit aren’t doing anything - we don’t even have a housing manager at the moment.

“I’ve also heard from people who are trying to get repairs done and it’s a nightmare for them.

“We are being totally ignored and we are paying a service charge but nothing is happening.”

Natalie Robertson, area community manager for Central Midlands at Orbit Heart of England, said: “We would like to apologise to the residents of Walsgrave Gardens for the delay in removing the fly-tipped rubbish. “Estate services make regular visits to the estate.

“The team were on site on Thursday and took the items away. We advise customers to contact us should they identify any problems in the future.”