Over 600 residents were told they would need to leave their homes after cracks were found that posed a risk to life
Some residents in an East London neighbourhood still can’t get back into their homes after they were forced to evacuate due to cracks in the building.
Residents within the Royal Gateway development in Canning Town have been left trying to deal with the aftermath of being told there was an ‘imminent risk to life’ if they stayed in their homes. The development comprises Centurion Tower, St Vincent Court, Sovereign Tower, Thanet Tower, and Prince Court.
On October 22, residents of Centurion Tower, St Vincent Court and Sovereign Tower were told their buildings were facing ‘serious structural problems’, and they were told to immediately evacuate by the property management company, Prime Property Management. Around 211 private households were asked to evacuate early in the morning, affecting more than 600 residents.
On October 30, residents at Thanet Tower and Prince Court were then told they’d need to evacuate. The evacuation was required after engineers ‘identified structural concerns’ with a transfer slab on which the towers are built. It was found that the slabs are undersized and ‘significantly overstressed’.
During their site visit, they discovered cracks in the transfer slabs on which the buildings are built. In addition to residents being evacuated, local businesses have also been forced to close, including a children’s nursery that cared for more than 80 babies and pre-school children.
A resident who spoke to us anonymously said: “We always noticed the cracks, but we didn’t think it was this bad. We thought it was normal cracking from when the building settled. There have always been issues with the building. It was poorly built but we didn’t notice anything this serious.
“I’m planning on the basis that I won’t be allowed back into the property for a year or two. I had to leave all my furniture and only take my personal belongings.”
Prime Property Management stated in a letter sent to residents that they had contacted the building’s developers, Galliard Homes Limited and Caxton Works Development, as well as Newham Council.
In a lengthy letter seen by MyLondon, it said: “Asking anyone to leave their home is a huge thing, and we didn’t want it to cause you worry or upheaval until we knew for certain how serious this was….. That advice confirmed their concerns and it is clear: nobody should be living in or using the buildings while further investigations and works take place.”
The resident who lives in Thanet Tower told MyLondon: “Nobody knew what was going on. The fire brigade came around, and at around 2am, everybody was told to leave [from Centurion Tower, St Vincent Court and Sovereign Tower]. People were fleeing in the middle of the night. We didn’t know what was going on with our building. We were later told that we would have to move as well.
“We all have a WhatsApp group, and that’s how we all keep in contact. The sense of community that has developed: everybody is supporting each other and trying to help each other out. People are really banding together, even when reaching out to the council and developers.”
Residents have now been forced to leave their homes, with some required to pay for alternative accommodation. Others have spent time with friends, stayed in hotels or, in some cases, have even returned to their properties.
Newham Council has set up a help page on its website. Its latest update states that Galliard Homes, the developers who built the buildings, will be ‘reimbursing reasonable costs’ in relation to relocation and temporary accommodation. MyLondon reached out to Galliard Homes, which has confirmed that it will cover reasonable relocation and temporary accommodation costs. The website also stated that the council will be granting a ‘100 per cent discretionary reduction’ in council tax for residents who had to move.
The resident continued: “There’s been a lot of confusion. The council are the freeholders of the land, and I feel like they haven’t been doing enough. An emergency community centre was opened for the residents, but it didn’t feel safe. They’ve said Galliard are going to pay, but they haven’t explained how long till. This whole situation is a nightmare. I’m constantly having to move around, look for flats; it’s been painful.”
The community have also set up a petition calling on MP Angela Rayner, MP James Asser, Mayor of Newham, Forhad Hussein, and Dr Rohit K Dasgupta to engage with Galliard Homes and mobilise to ensure affected residents are looked after.
Writing on the petition, resident Giorgio Tarantino wrote: “We are not simply numbers on an evacuation report. We are people. Hundreds of people who have lost our homes, our stability and our sense of security. People who contribute every day to making London the city it is. People with families, jobs, financial commitments and lives that cannot simply be put on hold while the future of our buildings is determined.
“We did not choose this situation, and we should not be left to bear its consequences alone. We need more than statements of sympathy and promises of support. We need tangible help, clear communication and urgent action.”
A spokesperson at Galliard Homes said: “We recognise the significant disruption and uncertainty residents and their families have faced since having to leave their homes at Royal Gateway. Their welfare is our utmost priority. We have been working at pace to put practical support in place and are pleased to confirm that Galliard will reimburse residents’ reasonable relocation and temporary accommodation costs.
“…we are monitoring the buildings and working with specialist engineers to investigate the concerns and develop potential solutions. It is too early to determine the extent or cause of the concerns identified. We have shared a proposed roadmap with the relevant parties and are committed to carrying out any works needed to make the buildings safe, following independent review and the necessary approvals, so that residents can return home safely and as soon as possible.”
Galliard Homes also made it clear that Prime Property Management is the managing agent and that residents should continue to contact them with day-to-day building management questions. Residents will need receipts or other proof of costs paid and must provide details of relevant insurance claims or payments.
Newham Council and Prime Property Management were contacted for comment.
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