10:40am Sunday 21st March 2010
By Joanna Kilvington
Residents have raised concerns over the safety of a wall passed by hundreds of children on their way to school.
Parts of the wall surrounding Gifford House in Twickenham have come apart and a number of cracks are spreading through the brickwork.
Residents close to Twickenham Green fear the wall could pose a safety risk to the hundreds of young children who walk past the site on their way to nearby Archdeacon Cambridge Primary School every day.
Teresa Read, member of the Gifford House Action Group, said: “I have repeatedly reported the badly cracked wall at the side, but nothing has been done.
“My ward councillors have also reported it. Now the top of the wall has come off and could potentially kill a passing child.
“Why has the Gifford House wall been left in such a bad state of repair for so long and a potential danger to residents?”
Councillor Stephen Knight, Richmond Council’s deputy leader, said a council surveyor had been to inspect the wall on March 2 and before Christmas.
He said: “His view following the check was the top of the wall was loose, but there was no imminent risk of any falling masonry.
“As soon as we received this report, we wrote to Care UK which is responsible for the maintenance of Gifford House, to make it aware.”
Former care home Gifford House has stood empty since its closure in 2004. Hopes that a new lease of life would be given to the house were dashed earlier this year after the proposed buyers pulled out and it was put back on the market by Care UK, the council’s private finance initiative partners for the site.
Graham Baty, assistant facilities manager for Care UK, said: “We have been talking to the council about the wall at Gifford House and, while our surveyor has said that there is no immediate danger from the wall, we have decided to take the damaged section away.
“A contractor has been appointed and we hope to agree a date for the work to start very soon.”
To report concerns over the safety of structures in the borough call Richmond Council on 0845 612 2660.
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