• I AM grateful to Conservative opposition leader Councillor Oliver Cooper for raising the problem of the reducing number of family homes being provided in our area.

As housing estates are redeveloped families are being squeezed out. This happened at Bacton estate and Maitland Park estate, where families were relocated out of the area.

Labour’s regeneration chief Councillor Danny Beales is reported as saying that Camden aims to create “inclusive, mixed and sustainable communities”. It is hard to see how this will be achieved if most new flats are one-bedroom flats.

In order to have stable communities you need families, and in order to have families with more than one child you need a home with at least two, and preferably three, bedrooms.

As a result of Camden Council’s actions the proportion of small flats is increasing. The demographic of the borough is changing as a result and our schools are under threat.

Developments such as that proposed at the old Charlie Ratchford Centre are another step in the wrong direction.

In addition the extremely high density of this scheme, lack of open space, and cramped design means that future slum conditions are being built in from the start.

Camden was meant to be a progressive council; but when it comes to housing provision those days are sadly over.

MANDY WOMACK
Malden Road, NW5