Sterling Avenue residents driven to despair

8:49am Saturday 17th May 2008

Residents of a quiet Edgware cul-de-sac fear their road could become plagued with parked cars when hundreds of new homes are built nearby.

Sterling Avenue sits in the shadow of Stonegrove estate, which will be demolished within months to make way for 937 new homes.

But the plans provide for only one parking space for each new home, and many Sterling Avenue residents believe their road will be used as an overspill car park for residents of the new housing development.

Carole Chapman, 64, said: "We're all very worried parking problems will affect our road.

"I don't think they've allowed enough parking places at the new housing development because so many people have two cars these days.

"There's only one place they'll be able to park any extra cars, and that's Sterling Avenue. We all feel quite powerless and most people don't know what to do about it."

Shirley Kosky, 64, who also lives in Sterling Avenue, said: "We've tried to start the ball rolling to have a controlled parking zone, but they're either buck-passing or cocking a deaf ear. The majority of residents are in favour.

"We're being trampled on. Completely, utterly and totally.

"We've been treated like second-class citizens in favour of what's going on round the corner."

Councillor Matthew Offord, cabinet member for environment and transport, insisted that careful consideration has been given to parking provision on the estate.

However, he added: "If residents do experience an overflow of vehicles following the regeneration project, we will consider at that time what action is appropriate and justified dependent upon the scale and nature of the problem."

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