Residents 'unable to sleep' as demolition threat puts homes at risk

Residents of a block of flats in Gorgie facing potential demolition say they are living under constant stress, with many unable to sleep as they worry about the future of their homes.

Edinburgh City Council has warned that the building’s condition could mean repairs are no longer viable, but residents insist the flats can and should be saved.

Among those affected is Iftikhar Ali, who has lived in Westfield Court his entire life. He faces an uncertain future as the council considers demolishing the building to make way for new social housing.

He and his neighbours say they want to remain.

“People here are stressed,” Iftikhar told STV News. “People like my parents struggle to sleep at night. My dad, who is very old, is still paying off the mortgage.

“He has worked his entire life to have this flat for us and is now worried about whether he will have to let it go and where he will go.

“You’ve got other older people who have been attached to this place for maybe up to 70 years who are now having to move elsewhere, which is a big change.”

Built after the Second World War, Westfield Court was the UK’s first modernist social housing block and even featured its own rooftop children’s nursery.

But the council says the building now requires significant and costly repairs.

Some residents believe the situation could have been avoided and say they feel let down.

STV News first spoke to people living in Westfield Court in November last year, when they raised concerns about ongoing flooding and heating problems, as well as delays to repairs.

“The story at Westfield Court has been one of the most scandalous that I’ve ever come across. It is a story of neglect of one of Edinburgh’s historic high-rises,” said Barry Will from Living Rent.

“Where we are now is that the council has, through the organising efforts of residents, finally come back to the table and been willing to engage with their historic role in causing that neglect.

“But for residents, that is not enough. They need to make sure that their building is safe and repaired in a way that is cost-effective for them.

“I think that is where the most difficult push is going to be for members of the block.”

Edinburgh City Council says a number of issues have prevented repairs from being carried out, including difficulties in securing contractors.

In a statement to STV News, the council described the situation as “distressing and difficult”.

It said the building is highly complex and that the scale of work required to bring it up to modern standards is significant.

The council added that the building is deteriorating and may have reached the end of its usable life, and that it must make responsible decisions about its future involvement while continuing to support affected residents.

Councillor Tim Pogson, convener for housing, homelessness and fair work, said: “This matter has been the subject of years of work, investigation, and assessment with our expert officers and external agencies.

“As landlords, we identified a growing issue, explored it in depth, and are now faced with making difficult, and in many cases unpopular, decisions about the most appropriate future use of Westfield Court for our residents.

“Without doubt, we will consider any proposals or solutions submitted by owners, though we have yet to receive these.

“There’s no denying that this is a distressing and difficult situation. The building is highly complex, and the scale of work required to bring it up to modern standards is significant.

“As a council, we have multiple responsibilities: as landlord to our tenants, as part-owners of the block, as factors acting on behalf of owners, and as a regulatory authority.

“The reality is that this is a deteriorating building that has reached the end of its usable life.

“While we fully respect the right of others to challenge and question our conclusions, we must also be realistic and make responsible decisions about our future involvement, while continuing to support those affected.”

An updated report on the future of Westfield Court is expected to go before the housing committee in June.

Residents maintain there is still life left in the building – and in their community – and say they are determined to fight for it.