Anger grows in airfield homes row

ANGRY families are refusing to move from their rented homes earmarked for demolition on a Suffolk airfield – and warn they are prepared to go to court.

The families claim they were told that houses on the military-occupied part of the Woodbridge Airfield would be available for them.

But now it appears they will not be offered the houses and they will be taken by families on the housing waiting list.

Around 15 families now live on the boarded-up estate until their assured shorthold tenancy runs out at the end of November.

Annington Homes, owners of the estate, has outline planning permission to demolish the estate of 162 bungalows and replace them with modern homes which could range from £160,000 to £300,000. There will be 40 properties for low-income families and work could start next year after Annington has sold the land to a developer or formed a partnership with one.

The Ministry of Defence has said it will hand back 40 properties to Annington from the military housing in March. This is later than first thought and families had hoped they could live in them after their tenancies expired. The other military houses could go to Suffolk Heritage Housing Association.

One resident said: ''The council will have to resolve this because we are not moving off this estate until they do and we still intend to appeal against the planning permission. We have families with children and people who are disabled who have been sent letters from the council assuring them that negotiations are specifically to move us over.''

A spokesman for Annington Homes said: ''We will look at our options for the 40 bungalows when we see what sort of condition they are in. We could rent them out or demolish and rebuild.''

He said the estate formerly occupied by military personnel was still leased by the MoD.

''Annington Homes is not involved in negotiations on the properties and we do not have a say on what the MoD does with them,'' he added.