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Evicted squatters move into Army flats
Rashid Razaq, Evening Standard28.08.08
Squatters evicted from a housing estate after a five month stand-off have now illegally occupied flats meant for returning servicemen.
Bailiffs removed around 100 people yesterday from the Limerick Close estate in Clapham where they had taken over a block of 42 flats.
Residents in Atkins Road - where houses cost more than £1 million each - had complained of all night-parties, vandalism, bonfires and loud music.
The illegal occupants, who at one point numbered more than 300, were finally ejected by bailiffs yesterday morning after Lambeth council secured an eviction order.
Dozens of the squatters have now moved their belongings to William Gardens in Putney, a Ministry of Defence property used for military families.
Refurbishment of the 48 flats was due to begin within days to improve facilities for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The flats have been in use since 1957 and the last military family moved out about a fortnight ago so work could commence.
A spokesman for Defence Estates, which manages MoD housing, said: "The presence of these squatters is delaying comprehensive refurbishment work to bring these properties up to the standard our troops and their families deserve."
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While I agree there is not enough affordable housing in London and I'm sure derelict offices/warehouses could be used. Taking these homes is outrageous I only hope the squatters were unaware of there designation as soldiers homes. Our boys and girls are in countries all over the world doing a damn fine job be it humanitarian, peacekeeping or of course wars in Iraq/Afghan. The pay and conditions our armed forces put up with are bad enough without this delay in refurbished housing.
- Simon, Guildford Surrey
This is an outrage. These 'hippies' are not gentle folk, but scroungers who opt out of society, bring their children up in a haze of cannabis mist and who now will delay those returning heroes the accommodation they deserve. This country is in a quagmire of a moral abyss
- Guy Howe, London, England
