Craylands estate to finally see works started (From Southend Standard)

Craylands estate to finally see works started

11:20pm Thursday 28th February 2013 in Echo News By Luke Lambert

REGENERATION work at the much maligned Craylands estate finally has a start date.

The £250million regeneration of the estate by Basildon Council was scheduled to get under way in 2011 but a delay in works has meant many of the homes lay abandoned and boarded up.

However, Swan Housing has now announced that builders will begin the demolition and construction works at Norwich Walk in six weeks time.

Phase 1 will see 201 homes built with 118 for private sale, 75 for rent and 8 for shared ownership.

However, despite the plans being announced, residents and businesses at the estate have expressed their scepticism as to whether it will hit the April deadline.

Susannah Cummings, from Rochester Way, has lived on the estate for six years and says the council should concentrate more on the homes that are already there rather than build a brand new estate.

She said: “We seem to have been here before. We have heard from the council and Swan that the houses will be built many times but will they? We have had many problems with out home and the council seem reluctant to help,. Yet here we are with a multi-million pound estate to be built. We feel forgotten.”

Tony Ball, Leader of Basildon Council, expressed his delight that the plans would now begin.

“There seems to be no impediment to pressing ahead with the plans and I am pleased to hear that April is when work will start. I am happy for the residents and I understand their frustration at the hold ups. We all know the financial constraints the country is under but we have arrived now and I look forward to welcoming this fantastic new community.”

Work on phase one is expected to be completed by March 2015.