RESIDENTS in Taunton say they are living in fear of their homes being torn down after the council announced a new regeneration plan.

A consultation has started in the north of the town which could see Taunton Deane Borough Council forced to move people out of their homes and demolish some properties.

TDBC has sent letters to residents of Woolaway properties in Dorchester Road and Rochester Road as they try to find the best solution.

Woolaway homes are made from concrete columns, beams and panels, and were used post-war as they could be built very quickly. This type of housing was designated as “defective” in the 1984 Housing Defects Act - so they will deteriorate in the near future.

There are around 170 in the town dating back to the 1950s.

Jose Hrydziuszko first moved into her home in Oxford Place with her husband, Jan, back in August 1954.

Somerset County Gazette:

Jose Hrydziuszko.

The pair bought the property in 1972, before TDBC advised them to sell it back in 1986 due to the structural deficiencies.

Now she is 88 and disabled and says she simply cannot move out of her home.

She said: “I am 89 in December and the prospect of moving, it is impossible for me.

“I have been here 67 years. I just can’t deal with packing up and moving out. I would have to sell or give away most of my furniture, the things Jan and I worked our lives for. They would have to take me to court to get me out of here.

“This house is lovely, there is nothing wrong with it. It is not breaking and there is no damp. I don’t see why I should be worried about what is going on, or seems to be going on.

“There is a young family who have moved in and I have seen them fitting carpets. Imagine doing that and improving your home, and not knowing which ones have to come down?

“Jan was very proud of this little house, and broken hearted when he had to sell it back.”

Because Jose cannot get to the meeting, her son Andre must now travel from Gillingham to Taunton next week just to meet with the council.

Jose added: “I am disabled and can’t walk very far without assistance. The thought of moving somewhere I’m not familiar with is terrible, and I know they won’t give me another three-bedroom house, so my family couldn’t stay.

“I feel very angry. At my time of life, I can do without all this uncertainty.

“The people next door have been here 40 years and I rely on them. They put out my bins and they go to the shops for me. I can call on them if I need to. If we are moved I don’t know how I will cope.”

Helen Hodge is a single mum of three boys and lives in a council-owned property in Dorchester Road.

She said: “My fear is we have been here six months and the thought of moving again. I have an autistic son, he is 22, and he barely leaves his room.

“He doesn’t like moving, he doesn’t like change. It really upsets me. I was out here the other day talking to people. They are devastated by it all.”

Government funding has enabled TDBC to start the project. This will help pay for experts to work with the council on the technical aspects.

It is not yet known if tenants will have to move out of their homes but TDBC says temporary or permanent rehousing will take place if necessary.

“Woolaway houses can suffer deterioration in the structure that affects their life span and the Government universally designated these houses as defective in the Housing Defects Act 1984,” said Cllr Terry Beale, executive member for housing services.

“This doesn’t mean there are immediate safety problems, but their reduced lifespan means we need to consider ways of making sure our homes are fit for the future.

“We intend to spend the next 12 months engaging with the community and until we have consulted and decided on what the best solution is, we do not know for certain which residents will be required to move.

“There will be a door-to-door exercise following the event in October, where the team will make appointments with every household to discuss their personal circumstances and explain the plan.

“We have already received visits to our community office from around 30 residents. We encourage more residents to contact us directly so we are able to carry out the consultation in a meaningful way.”

A community event is being held on October 4 between 10.30am until 7pm at St Peter’s Church Hall, Eastwick Road.

For more, email housing.development@tauntondeane.gov.uk or call 01823 219159.