Carlisle students want more privacy in new flats
Last updated at 14:02, Wednesday, 10 October 2012
Students in new purpose-built accommodation in Carlisle say that neighbours can see straight into their apartments.
The first phase of a £16m redevelopment of the old Kangol factory in Denton Holme opened last month. There are 239 students living there.
Many nearby residents opposed the scheme, saying their homes would be overlooked. But now it is the students who are complaining.
Norah Guy, whose home in Westmorland Street backs onto the site, said: “We know that students spoke to the Rev John Libby at St James’s Church.
“They said there were no facilities for them on site, or in the immediate area, and that they are totally overlooked.
“There have been reports of people seeing scantily-clad students through the windows.”
She said neighbours had complained about noise from the students, particularly late at night.
And there had been chaos when parents dropped off their sons and daughters at the start of term.
Mrs Guy said: “It was terrible. The roads were choked. I think the parents were told to use the car park at Robert Ferguson School but they didn’t know where that was so they parked in the street.”
The site is managed by Derwent FM, a facilities management company.
Site manager Fiona Stewart said she was aware of concerns about lack of privacy.
The company was looking at putting frosted glass panels in the front doors to help solve the problem.
She added: “We haven’t had one complaint to date about parking and we have received only three complaints about noise, one of which wasn’t substantiated.
“I don’t think that’s a bad record for a development that has been open for nearly a month.”
Mrs Guy was one of 11 residents to sign a letter of complaint to Carlisle City Council.
They claimed that contractor Border Construction broke planning conditions prohibiting work on Sundays and bank holidays, and that the accommodation blocks are taller than they should be and too close to their homes.
The council’s chief executive, Jason Gooding, has replied saying the buildings have been built “in accordance with the approved plans”.
Mrs Guy is far from happy with the response.
Michael Carrigan, of Richardson Street, who also signed the complaint, said: “We’ve just been forgotten about. The council aren’t interested in what we say or what happens to us.”
First published at 14:00, Wednesday, 10 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
I totaly aggree that it brightens up Denton Holme its nice to see fresh faces around and lookin busier, They need to do something with the bay area for the students so they have somehwere close by.
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Have your say
Hi, I'm a student living at Denton Holme and the locals I've met so far are nice and we've been made to feel extremely welcome. I don't find the privacy issue mentioned a problem. Many of you are suggesting that we buy curtains or blinds, we have actually thought of this already, but we are not actually allowed to install or adjust anything within the houses.
Posted by Anon on 25 October 2012 at 23:39