Flats plan prompts eviction fear

A decision is due to be made about the plans just before Christmas

A group of residents fear they may be left homeless to make way for a luxury apartment block.

Developers want to create 16 luxury flats in Calverley Park Gardens in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

They also want to evict the existing tenants from the Edwardian building to be able to carry out the work.

Now the 11 residents, some of who have lived at the flats for 25 years, fear they could be left without a home.

'Out of the blue'

Resident Jack Cannons said: "I received this ordinary brown envelope on the Monday morning. I thought it was junk mail.

"It said 'to the occupier' then I saw Tunbridge Wells Council on it and I opened it and it just said we are going to pull your building down."

Edward Dadswell said: "I am shocked. Really I mean it came out of the blue. I have lived here for 25 years and I am 80 years old. I sort of don't feel like moving."

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has said its draft local plan ensures properties containing more than 15 flats have an element of affordable housing.

But it says it would have little say over the price that any flats would be sold at.

It expected a decision will be made about the plans just before Christmas