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Guards paid to live in cleared squats in Crown Estates row
Rashid Razaq and Ross Lydall12 Aug 2010
Security guards are being paid to live in London properties owned by the Queen to prevent the return of squatters.
The Crown Estate, which manages the Queen's properties on behalf of the nation, has installed 24-hour protection after a group of squatters barricaded themselves into a flat near Victoria Park.
Bailiffs and police raided six properties yesterday but a three-hour stand-off developed at one four-bedroom home in Skipworth Road before bailiffs broke down the front door to remove six young foreign squatters.
Today residents said the Crown Estate's "high-handed" approach to dealing with the squatters - who moved in several months ago when the body began leaving properties meant for key workers empty - symbolised their battle to avoid having their homes sold.
The Crown Estate has been fiercely criticised in Parliament after planning a secret deal to transfer 1,200 homes on four estates - Victoria Park, Cumberland Market in Camden, Millbank in Westminster and Lee Green in Lewisham - to an unknown buyer.
The value of the Queen's properties dropped sharply during the recession and estate bosses believe they can raise about £250million by selling the freehold of the homes. Tenants, who are nominated for the properties by eight London hospitals as well as the ambulance service, the police and Transport for London, fear this would end their protected rents.
Madeleine Davis, of the Victoria Park residents' association, said the Crown Estate had refused to ballot tenants on the potential sell-off, which is expected to be confirmed by the end of the year.
She said: "It's been pretty unanimous that people think that what they're doing is not in the public interest. The residents would prefer for there to be no sale.
"The Crown Estate is very worried about its reputation but they have handled this whole [squatters] thing very badly. They feel they're not accountable to anybody and they can do what they like."
A Crown Estate spokesman said: "The squatters were occupying six properties. The properties require extensive refurbishment and/or structural works and as such are currently not suitable for letting via CBL. Gallowglass is a security company and they are temporarily occupying the properties at Victoria Park to protect against squatters moving in. We would like to reassure residents that this is only a temporary measure, which is unfortunately necessary to ensure the squatters are not able to return."
The Crown Estate wants to concentrate on its £1.6billion portfolio of shops and offices in Regent Street, Regent's Park and Kensington.
One of the squatters, a young Frenchman who gave his name as Arthur, said the group supported the residents' cause.
He said: "This is about the bigger issue of housing and the system discriminating against poor people. The properties were just sitting there empty when we moved in."
Residents urge Prince Charles to join battle after Chelsea Barracks dispute
Residents battling to hang on to their homes called on Prince Charles to support their “worthy” cause, rather than the row over the Chelsea Barracks development.
Cyril Duff, 80, and wife Anne, 72, have lived in their home near Victoria Park for 37 years and were only able to secure it because Mrs Duff was a teacher.
Mr Duff, a retired hotelier, said he had written to the Prince and contacted Buckingham Palace.
He said: “I wrote to him saying you were very active over Chelsea Barracks, and that was about people in Kensington and Chelsea not liking the way a building looked. We are a community whose homes are at risk. Surely that is a much worthier cause?
“But all I got back were bland letters from Prince Charles and the Queen saying they had been assured our legal rights were being respected. Our legal rights might be respected, but that doesn't mean we will be able to hold on to our homes.
“The royal family should feel responsible for people who can't defend themselves.”
Retired teaching assistant Sheila Parkin told how she had lived in a flat in Gore Road for 42 years. As a long-term tenant her rent is regulated — the only way she can afford to stay in an area where Victorian family homes sell for more than £1 million.
Mrs Parkin said: “We've been having sleepless nights. It's scary not knowing if you are safe in your home. A property like mine was recently advertised for rent at £900 a month. There is no way we could afford that. There are people here in their eighties and nineties who are terrified they will be forced to move.”
Reader views (4)
I am wearing a turban
- Leonard Lillywhites, Tottenham, 12/08/2010 18:54
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Kudos to Peter Glazier and his excellent work in seventies TV fav 'Crackerjack!" but when Turkey joins the EU it won't be Brazil they'll be overrunning now will it ? Also from your flat in Sao Paulo you're probably not aware of the shenanigans up Manor House a couple of years ago with Turks running up and down the streets attacking each other with meat cleavers - though no one disputes this is hard work in itself.
- Squiz, Islington, 12/08/2010 15:11
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In fairness to whoever owns the property it would not be pleasant if you were the owner and had the problem of squatters, whatever nationality. It is not a foregone conclusion that anyone has a right to be housed.
- Clive, Nantwich UK, 12/08/2010 14:53
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In principle, I agee with SQUIZ except I find his selection of nationalities to be most disturbing. The Turks, in particular, are very hard working Europeans whose country will and should be in the EU shortly.
- Peter Glazier, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 12/08/2010 13:09
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