The Alexandra & Ainsworth estate

RESIDENTS in one of London’s most famous estates say they are stuck with hot water and heating problems – despite council promises to fix them.

Changes to the infrastructure on the brutalist Grade II*-listed Alexandra & Ainsworth estate, also known as Rowley Way, were approved by Camden Council last March – despite 1,500 objections.

And more than a year later building work has not even started.

People living on the estate this week said the delay should be used for another look at the design which had caused so much opposition.

Residents had agreed that the existing system needed improving, but were concerned that a communal heating network in the walls was being replaced.

Instead, the council want to fit a radiator in each flat.

Leaseholder Elena Besussi, a planning expert who teaches at UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture, and has lived in her flat since 2014, said: “[The council] can do a major overhaul and that’s fine, but they have not demonstrated to us the political willingness, the intelligence, or the capacity to manage what they already have.”

Ms Besussi said Camden’s plans were full of “glitches”, including inadequate insulation and the risk of mould.

Sara Bell, chair of Rowley Way’s tenants and residents association, said: “Our building was built for the type of heating it has, the whole building is a radiator. Stopping that is going to be a disaster – we’re convinced of it.”

When the boilers “trip out” – something that residents say happens every two weeks or so – some flats can become boiling hot while others are freezing, or hot water comes through the cold taps and vice versa.

“We’re used to it,” Ms Bell said, adding: “We won’t give up the fight, and we might win out.”

Ms Besussi added: “No one would have expected this ward to elect two Green councillors. People are fed up – if you are a ward councillor, you are supposed to be our voice in the council, not the translator of what the council wants. We want someone to listen. It’s humiliating to ask, ask, ask, ask, and get nothing back.”

Renowned for its pioneering design, the estate has been a popular film set including for Kingsman: The Secret Service and Breaking And Entering, as well as episodes of Silent Witness.

It was designed in 1968 by the visionary Camden Council architect, Neave Brown. A Camden Council spokesperson said: “The current system is not fit for purpose and has to be replaced – it requires regular extensive repairs with multiple leaks occurring each year and controls are very limited. That’s why, long-term, we will be installing a new system which gives residents access to reliable and controllable heating and hot water.

“The process to find a suitable contractor to carry out the works is underway. This project is complex given the listed nature of the estate, but our proposed scheme allows us to preserve the integrity of the original design. We have consulted extensively with residents during the development of the plans.

“Meanwhile, we fully recognise the impact on residents of the current issues. Alongside the work to renew the system, we are working with engineers on a maintenance strategy for the months and years ahead, and working closely with the Tenants and Residents Association to make sure everyone is supported.”