This is Affinity Sutton's stooge, Hayley Adams,account manager of Meeting Place Communications based at their office in Chelmsford, Essex. Hayley has been writing to people who want to stop Affinity Sutton's plans to demolish the Sutton Estate, but, as we are getting used to from Affinity Sutton and its stooges, all we hear is more dissembling and lies. So to help Hayley Adams out here is her letter with a few facts added in. |
Subject: Redevelopment of the Sutton Estate
Dear .......
I hope you are well
We noticed that you signed the petition – named ‘STOP THE DEMOLITION of Sutton Estate, Cale Street, Chelsea’ – on Change.org and, as a local resident living in a nearby street to the Estate, we of course appreciate that you may have some concerns.
Local residents should be concerned that the area will be a building site for 2 years, and that the wonderful Victorian architecture of the estate will be replaced by a modern mediocrity from a third rate architect, dominating the area and totally out of character.
I just wanted to write to see if there is anything that we can help with. I see from your comments that you recognise the legacy of William Sutton – with the purpose of the Estate to provide social housing and not housing for profit. We completely agree and the purpose of this proposed redevelopment is to secure this legacy and to secure the future of affordable housing in Chelsea.
Over the last 8 years, Affinity Sutton have already got rid of more than 380 social housing places through a process of enforced dilapidation of their properties. Elderly tenants have been bullied and threatened to throw them out of their properties, behaviour more reminiscent of the Rachman years than of a social housing provider. Is this the legacy of William Sutton.
As a charity, Affinity Sutton cannot profit from this scheme. The private sale of a small number of properties will be funding the redevelopment – to pay for the development of the new affordable homes and to pay for the heavily subsidised rents.
Affinity Sutton have already gone on record to say that profits from the Sutton Estate development will go to fund other parts of their business. The estimated profit from the sale of the private flats is £1/4 billion.
"The private sale of a small number of flats" that would be the more than 40% of the development which is being sold off to private investors. Only the most disingenuous and desperate PR could describe 40% as a small number.
Furthermore, due to a lack of Government funding for refurbishment projects, it would not be possible to simply modernise the blocks without losing a significant number of affordable flats due to challenges around the age, condition and layout of the Estate.
Due to lack of maintenance, enforced dilapidation, much of the estate is in bad repair. Many good landlords in the area are able to maintain their housing, such as the Samuel Lewis Trust. It is completely disingenuous of Affinity Sutton to blame the development on the condition of the estate which is of their own making. Architects, more competent than the Affinity Sutton employed mediocrities, see no problem with maintaining the present layout of the estate, with only minor changes.
It has been speculated that Affinity Sutton tenants are being or will be forced to leave the Estate because of the redevelopment – this could not be further from the truth. All current Affinity Sutton tenants will be rehoused within the redeveloped Estate. All tenants will also retain their security of tenancy and pay Target Rents based on a formula set by Government that are some 20-30% of market rent. The vast majority of tenants who have been decanted from blocks A-D have been offered accommodation on another part of the Estate as units have become available. Five tenants have opted for accommodation off of the Estate but have the right to return when the redeveloped units become available.
More lies from Affinity Sutton. Nobody has ever suggested that Affinity Sutton tenants are being or will be forced to leave the Estate because of the redevelopment apart from Hayley Adams of Meeting Place Communications.
However, 160 flats (382 social housing places) have already been emptied of tenants and are not being replaced under the Affinity Sutton proposal.
If you have any further concerns, please do feel free to get in touch. We are also always happy to arrange a meeting at your convenience if you feel this would help.
If you have further concerns about the behaviour, bullying and lies from Affinity Sutton and their stooge, Hayley Adams of Meeting Place Communications, why not contact them on the details below.
Best wishes
Hayley
On behalf of Affinity Sutton
Hayley Adams
Account Manager
Meeting Place Communications
Office 1, Kenmore House, Navigation Road, Chelmsford, CM2 6HX
Tel: 01245 256 180 | Mob: 07817 163 101 | Fax: 01225 469992
Email: [email protected]