London,
25
June
2017
|
21:42
Europe/London

Update on Chalcots Estate evacuation (Sunday evening)

21.45hrs, Sunday 25 June 2017

  • Camden Council will meet the cost of hotel rooms booked directly by residents
  • Brand new flats to be made available to house evacuated families
  • Works to rectify faults in evacuated tower blocks underway

Camden Council is meeting the costs of hotel rooms booked by evacuated residents for up to a fortnight.

Many residents evacuated from Chalcots Estate have either arranged to stay with family or friends or have been given accommodation in hotels. 

Residents can book hotel rooms themselves and Camden Council will cover the cost, up to a cap of £200 per night. Residents will be able to extend bookings, if required, when it runs out, with the same price cap. We ask residents booking hotels to keep their booking receipt as evidence.

Swiss Cottage Library’s computer rooms will be open so residents can book hotel places.

The Council is close to reaching an agreement with SISK which will allow residents to temporarily move into brand new flats in its new Maiden Lane development. Residents interested in living in these flats during the evacuation period should book a hotel for the next three days and register their interest by emailing [email protected]

Councillor Georgia Gould, Leader of Camden Council, said: “Our focus is on making residents as comfortable as possible, and we’re working as fast as we can to move residents through the rest centre and into hotels and other suitable accommodation. Where residents would like to book their own hotel rooms, we’ll cover the cost of up to £200 per room per night, we just need residents to give us a receipt. We’ll also be making brand new flats we’ve built at Maiden Lane available for evacuated families for a temporary period.

“Evacuated residents have been so patient this weekend in difficult circumstances and our focus is on ensuring everyone has a proper bed as soon as we can.”

All evacuated residents should email [email protected] whether or not they have already secured temporary accommodation, stating their name, address and current temporary accommodation status. This will help us keep a register of where everyone is.

Meanwhile, works are underway in the four evacuated tower blocks.

If residents want to collect possessions from homes, they can. Please go back to you block, where our staff will be there to help. Security staff will guide you into the building, and can help with heavy items. You will have around 30 minutes to pick up the items you need.

ENDS