Mayor of Lewisham visits two L&Q estates

The Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock and Councillor Heidi Alexander, Deputy Mayor of Lewisham visited two L&Q estates in Lewisham on Friday 12th November. The aim of the visit was to see the progress that had been made following the transfer of the estates from Lewisham Council to L&Q.

Accompanied by representatives from L&Q they first visited Lewisham Park which transferred to L&Q in April 2007. Here, the Mayor officially opened the communal gardens following landscaping work on the estate. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor then met with residents at Lewisham Park to hear their thoughts on the improvements made since the stock transfer.

Joan Baldwin, who has lived at Lewisham Park for 44 years said "The double glazed windows that have been installed are great and the builders were wonderful. After the transfer we saw an immediate improvement in the grounds such as the level of litter. The estate is continually improving, and with the landscaping work now finished it's really looking good."

From Lewisham Park the Mayor and Deputy Mayor went to the Grove Park Estate which transferred to L&Q in July 2008. Here they joined celebrations of the 250th kitchen and bathroom refurbishment on the estate and met with residents to hear their views.

Maureen Courtney, from the Grove Park estate, recently had her kitchen completed and said "It's been so easy working with L&Q on this. They made one of the empty houses into a show home which we could visit and chat with staff and contractors to decide on what we would have done in our home. I'm so pleased with the end result, my home looks so nice now with the kitchen all finished."

Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock, said: "Across Lewisham there are almost 21,000 social rented homes that meet the Government's Decent Homes standard. It's great to see these improvements and the real difference it makes to people in their lives. Talking to local people on both these estates I can see how all the hard work that has been put in over the years is now paying-off. I'm proud that this sort achievement has come about, through a fantastic local partnership between residents, Lewisham Council and L&Q."

Tom Bremner, L&Q's Director of Neighbourhood Services for South East London also attended the tour and said afterwards, "It's great to be able to see the transformation of these estates and the difference it makes to our residents. It is through working closely with Lewisham Council and our residents that we have been able to make such an impact and continue our mission of creating places where people want to live."