Residents 'still living like prisoners' amid claims of more delays to sheeting on Gosport towers

Blake Court in South Street, Gosport, is one of five towers that were covered in plastic sheets while cladding was removed.

It came in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire in London, where 72 people died.

At a meeting in May last year, residents were told by housing association Hyde Group they would have to wait until the end of the year for the plastic sheeting to be removed.

Residents say they've now been work won’t be completed until April – but Hyde claims to be ‘on schedule’.

The announcement means that people in the tower are still living with no access to sunlight and their windows closed 24/7.

Resident Peter Maguire, 73, says he and his neighbours are 'fed up’ with the delays.

‘We’ve been stuck like this for ages and reached the end of our tether long ago,' he said.

‘To be forced to live in the dark for 18 months is a slap in the face, we’re still living like prisoners.

‘Every time we ask about the work we just get fobbed off.’

As compensation, tower residents were given a one-off payment of £42.50 by Hyde Group.

But many say this is not enough, as electric bills have soared due to lights being needed all day long.

Having been told to keep their windows shut too, many residents are also battling damp and mould.

Joan and Alastair Campbell live on the ninth floor of the tower, but are fortunate enough to have had a square cut out of the plastic sheeting by their living room window.

Joan, 85, said: 'It’s dark, miserable and there’s nothing to see.

‘We bought this flat for the view and can see the ships on their way out of the harbour – but for the longest time we’ve lost that now.’

A Hyde Group spokeswoman said: ‘Everything is running to the revised programme which was agreed in July 2019.

‘Blake Court is on schedule for the end of February.

‘The only thing that could push the end dates along slightly is inclement weather. ‘