A PENSIONER who has refused to move out after 61 homes were demolished around him said “it’s like the end of the world.”
Phil Campbell, 71, refused an offer of £81,000 from Torus for this three bedroom home on the Gerard Bridge estate in St Helens, Merseyside.
CHRIS NEILLPhil said he feels like the last man standing on the estate[/caption]
CHRIS NEILLThe homeowner wants the market rate for his home[/caption]
CHRIS NEILLPhil compared the estate to a film set[/caption]
The retired university worker said that Torus made a second offer of £110,000 but that he believes his house on Union Street is worth around £125,000.
Hundreds of locals have moved out of the estate since Torus began their regeneration project.
Phil told The Sun that he now felt isolated after waving goodbye to neighbours who he once shared a common bond with.
He said: “I really miss my friend June who lived next door. I used to bang on the wall when I was poorly and she would let herself in with her key.”
Phil said that he tried to spend as much time as possible out of the house, and away from the sound of the heavy machines tearing down the estate he once loved.
He said: “I spend a lot of time in the library and at the gym. Anything to get me out of the house. I also sing in a Manchester based choir, which provides a distraction from the nightmare at home.”
Phil said that he was now on medication for stress and found his dispute with Torus deeply unsettling.
He said: ” I just can’t believe this has happened – I have not asked for an obscene amount of money. I just want what the home is worth.
“If Torus won’t pay the market rate surely they could put me in one of their homes – a like for like swap.
“It’s a David and Goliath battle – I feel like the sword of Damocles is hanging over me. And I do worry about a compulsory purchase order.”
Phil said that only one elderly couple remained on the road. He added: “Everyone else has gone.”
The St Helens man said that the estate was now a barren wasteland that resembled a movie set.
He said: “At times it feels like the end of the world. All its short of is tumbleweed.”
A survey in 2019 of locals found that 78% supported the regeneration scheme. However last year locals began to speak out about issues in the area.
Ewa Wilinksa, 36, who lives near Union Street, said gangs of youths regularly set fire to the empty houses and throw bricks through the windows.
She said: “We have quite a lot of problems with kids around here. They’re burning rubbish and it’s not really safe for us.
“If you walk over there all the time some place is burning. All the time there’s rubbish, all the time there’s glass.
“It’s frustrating. I can’t go out with my little lad because all the time there’s something – glass, rubbish.”
Ewa’s neighbour Angelika Tysko, 38, echoed those comments, saying there was a problem with drugs and anti-social behaviour, as kids were smashing windows and setting fires.
Denise, 49, who moved to the area 10 years ago, says there is not a sense of community any more, since the houses started emptying.
A spokesperson for Torus said to The Sun: “We are sorry that this has been an upsetting time for Mr Campbell and can confirm we have no intentions of looking at a Compulsory Purchase Order at present.
“An above market value was offered during negotiations, and we remain keen to continue discussions until a reasonable agreement can be reached.
“We apologise to Mr Campbell for a lack of updates on the development and will rectify this going forward.
“He will be advised once a formal demolition date is known, and we will discuss support and respite options to minimise disturbance.”
CHRIS NEILLPhil said he tried to spend as much time as possible out of the house due to the noise of the demolition work[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
