• AT the Camden Council housing scrutiny committee in February West Kentish Town Estate tenants’ and residents’ association told councillors present – among other things – that designs presented for our estate are nothing like the proposals made to residents before we voted for regeneration in 2020; and they had been changed after Camden had secured our vote.

The height of the new blocks masses too many people too close together, especially post Covid-19. We already have 19 dark, dank and damp courtyards in our estate, cultivating algae on surfaces which get little light.

Why would we want more courtyards, surrounded by even higher structures, letting in less light and blocking it to surrounding buildings?

The only attendee to take any interest was the Liberal Democrat councillor Nancy Jirira, to whom we are grateful for the extremely pertinent questions asked.

The rest – all Labour – just sat there, dumbly.

It appears that such matters only concern councillors according to strictly party lines, regardless of residents’ wishes.

Other Camden residents with housing concerns should remember that party loyalty always comes first, and that they exist simply to return a Labour candidate at the next election.

Doesn’t Camden deserve better?

ANDREW DOW
Secretary, West Kentish Town Estate TRA