Resident’s from Weir Estate celebrated taking their estate back this weekend with a ribbon cutting and repossession ceremony, following a year of essential major works to replace run down and rusted windows and doors.

Nearly all one hundred and twenty five properties on the Lambeth Living estate have undergone a huge transformation to replace the old metal windows and wooden doors to new warmer, safer and secure by design double glazed windows and triple locking doors. The work which was carried out by Breyer Group plc on behalf of Lambeth’s ALMO, Lambeth Living have taken just over one year.

This weekend at an event attended by newly elected Streatham Constituency MP, Chuka Umunna residents claimed back control of their estate at a ceremony organised by its pro-active residents association, WERA (Weir Estate Residents Association). The association and local ward councillors who were also present to see the hand over back to residents, battled with Lambeth Living after years of neglected windows and as part of the LHC5 programme. Works to the estate began at the end of 2009 and are on track to finish by the end of this month.

During the cutting of the ribbon ceremony, MP Chuka Umunna paid tribute to the work of WERA and the leadership of the association Chair, Dave McEvoy; who worked closely with both Councillor Peck and Councillor Morris to bring about the transformation, which also saw a coat of paint being applied to all ten blocks. Residents have also benefited from reduced heating costs which had rocketed during the 60 years that the old windows had been in place.
Mr Umunna went on to declare the estate ‘unleashed’ back into the control of those who live on Weir Estate.

Dave McEvoy, Chair of WERA spoke of his delight at residents getting their estate back “This event was to mark the end of a difficult year for residents who have put up with a lot of disruption but has brought much needed change to the estate as a whole as well as many benefits to those living on Weir Estate. We are delighted with the work that has taken place after so many years and now residents can look forward to warmer, safer and a better quality of living standards.”

The event was also attended by Lambeth Living Major Works Officers, Joseph Ajala, Senior Programme Manager and Keith Hardy, Major Works Manager, who have overseen the works to Weir Estate as well as Bryer Group’s Divisional Manager Carol Bailey, Resident Liaison Manager, Clinton Samuels as well as the site staff who have worked on the estate delivering the works. Lambeth Living’s Board Member Alan Bevan also attended to see the outcome of the works.

Local residents celebrated with a glass of champagne and are now able to enjoy a new look Weir Estate.