By Michele Canning Smith
RESIDENTS of houses, built for temporary use during World War Two, are calling on the Executive to upgrade the quality of their accommodation.
The eight Executive residents at St Mary's Drive/St Mary's Place want their small kitchens extended, a move which they say the Executive is not willing to embrace.
Resident Noel McGarrigle said approaches were made to the Executive to upgrade the aluminium bungalow dwellings.
"Our kitchens are 11ftx10ft in size. There's barely room for a table and four chairs as the area is so small. The Executive told us that they had no knowledge of these types of dwellings being extended.
"But we have pointed out that three of the privately owned dwellings in the area have had extensions, obviously passed by Building Control.
"The Executive don't need to spend any money on a feasibility study, they can get all the information they need from Building Control. We shouldn't have to wait for 18-24 months for the Executive to make a decision," he added.
The local man said residents were presented with a number of options, which included reducing the houses to two bedroom dwellings and extending the kitchen by removing the existing third bedroom; or knocking down and rebuilding the houses.
"The options are not good enough, we don't want two bedroom houses and we don't want the houses demolished. We just want our kitchens extended. It would cost no more than £10,000.
"We are paying rents of £54 for houses that were built 59 years ago as a temporary measure during the War.
"All we are asking for is a better quality of living in our accommodation like everyone else in Executive accommodation. There is no excuse for not extending the kitchens."
A spokesperson for the Housing Executive said, "Although these properties have not received a multi-element scheme significant improvements have been carried out on an incremental basis.
The Housing Executive is investigating options for kitchen improvements and external upgrading of the properties.
The District office are about to consult with residents to agree these proposals.
