Decision to demolish city homes is 'soul-breaking'

Lynda Kopper said she believed the city council had lied about its decision to demolish homes in Ekin Road

A woman who has lived on a council estate for 40 years has described a decision to demolish her home as "soul-breaking".

Cambridge City Council will knock down the majority of the council homes on the city's Ekin Road, having voted in favour of a partial redevelopment in June.

But Lynda Kopper, 70, a semi-retired kitchen worker, said the regeneration plan had left her "feeling like giving up, with no fight left".

The council said it would "work with all residents to provide support that suits their individual circumstances".

This week, three households discovered that their homes would not be saved despite a campaign, prompting accusations of "council lies" from residents.

These flats are amongst the homes due for demolition on The Ekin Road estate

Mrs Kopper has lived in the north-east corner of Ekin Road since 1984.

"I love it. It's quiet, peaceful, a sanctuary," she said. "This is where my children have grown."

Having heard the council's decision to pull her house down, she said: "It's soul breaking. This is my space. Without it, I no longer have the will anymore."

"They couldn't even speak to us face to face," she said.

"And when they wrote, they couldn't even spell my name right. The council have been toying with us since the off. I knew from the moment they walked in the room, they'd nod, say all the right things.

"But they'd already made their mind up."

Val Hodson, who has lived on the estate for 19 years, has vowed to "stay put until the very end"

Val Hodson and her two teenage sons have lived on Ekin Road for 19 years.

"It's nice here. I love my garden," she said.

"It's very much home. It's my home. Not the council's. I'm not moving. I'm angry, I'm upset."

When asked if the council have offered any alternative accommodation, she said: "They mentioned the possibility of a flat.

"I have a three-bedroomed house, I don't want a flat. My beautiful five-year-old granddaughter adores this garden. She plays in it with all her toys. Where's she going to play now?"

The flats on the left hand side of Ekin Road will be demolished, while houses on the right will stay

The decision to demolish properties on Ekin Road has divided residents, with some wanting several homes to be given a reprieve, while others said every property should be demolished.

The authority vowed to "work with all residents to provide support that suits their individual circumstances."

But Save Ekin Road Campaign Group said the council had lied regarding three of the homes.

Dr Maurice Chiodo runs the Save Ekin Road Campaign Group

Dr Maurice Chiodo, 40, runs the Save Ekin Road Campaign Group.

"Those three houses are perfectly fine," he said. "They don't need to be demolished as part of the regeneration project.

"Those residents had a meeting with council executives a week and a half ago, where it was agreed that there will be further discussions in October about possibly saving those houses.

"Seven days ago, all Ekin Road residents received a letter, complete with spelling mistakes, informing us that those houses are to be demolished."

'No fight left'

In a statement, a spokesperson for Cambridge City Council said: "We know this is a very difficult time for the tenants involved but I want them to realise that we will do everything we can for them, and we ask them to continue to work with the officers.

"We have had many meetings with tenants, so they could feedback to us their concerns and make this decision as painless as possible.

"I do ask that they keep engaging so we can reassure them."

But Mrs Kopper added: "If they do it here, they'll do it to other people elsewhere.

"Where does it stop?

"I feel like giving up, and letting myself go. I have no fight left."