‘Construction is causing me anxiety’ says resident

PARK AND RIDE: Building work dust clouds plague Keephatch families

“MY MENTAL health is suffering,” a Wokingham resident says, as work is in motion for a new park and ride.

Emma Kirkum, who lives in Keephatch Gardens, said building work on the new transport hub at the Coppid Beech roundabout has caused her anxiety to go “through the roof”.

She said dust, noise, and not enough warning from her housing association has left her and other residents unhappy.

The land next to Keephatch Gardens has been earmarked for a park and ride ever since the estate was proposed in 2015.

In May 2020, Wokingham Borough Council applied for planning permission to build the transport hub and construction is due to finish this December.

But Ms Kirkum said the building work is now having a negative impact on her and other families’ lives.

“It isn’t fair on us,” she said. “We’ve had nothing but dust cloud after dust cloud.

“I can’t have my kitchen windows open during the day because there’s so much noise.

“There’s about 35 kids in these three blocks that have nowhere outside to play because of it.”

The resident said the ongoing work has made her dread looking outside, pushing her to seek medication to handle her anxiety for the first time.

According to Cllr Jorgensen, executive member for highways, the borough council is taking measures to protect residents from the work with daily checks.

“We always work to minimise the effects on residents when construction work is happening,” she said. “The work is being carried out in accordance with the agreed Construction Environmental Management Plan for the site.”

This includes limiting construction hours, keeping materials away from tenants’ homes and dampening materials to reduce dust.

Ms Kirkum is now demanding her landlord, Sovereign Housing, takes action to support its tenants, alleging the company failed to tell them about the future building work when they moved in.

She is asking the company to build fencing around Keephatch Gardens to separate homes from the construction site.

“All we’ve had is a ‘sorry’ that we weren’t treated well,” Ms Kirkum said. “But we should have had better.

“They should have been aware of the plans, and we should have been told so we could decide if we wanted this or not.”

Matthew Hensby, regional director of housing at Sovereign, said residents are being offered regular contact to reduce their anxieties about the building work.

This includes community consultations to address their needs and how Sovereign could “enhance” their living space.

But he said putting up high fencing in the area is out of Sovereign’s control.

Mr Hensby added: “We’re liaising with colleagues at Wokingham Borough Council to see how we can move this forward and, together with the ward councillor, we’re seeking air pollution guidance to allay concerns.”

With construction due to finish in a few months, Ms Kirkum said the building work is also just the tip of the iceberg.

“I’m worried about all of us when the park and ride is open”, she said. “I’m scared of pollution affecting the kids, people using our parking bays, and if it will be safe to cross the road.”

Ms Kirkum said she expects eight buses to pass by her property each hour running for 12 hours a day, and is worried the fumes will be a hazard to health.

“I don’t think our air filters protect us from diesel fumes at all,” she added. “So I’m worried about pollution getting inside the flat.

“Buses will also go past green space where the children play, which is dangerous. It’s just not right.”

But Cllr Pauline Jorgensen said the park and ride will be a boost for Wokingham.