Ghost estate campaigner, Kerry Macintosh, today turned the key in the front door of the new home she fought 20 years for.
On the doorstep with children Jared and Rebecca, Kerry spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service – just 20 months after she had witnessed the demolition of the crumbling RAAC roofed home she had struggled to maintain as her family grew up .
“I’ve waited 20 years for this. I’ve finally got a new home. Thanks to Springfield, I’ve finally got a new home. The troops have done a fantastic job.”
As she turned the keys, Kerry, who had fought back the emotion from her arrival in the street gave in to tears
“Thank you, I’m so happy”, she told the assembled group of Springfield staff including Sandy Adam, the Springfield Chairman and Tom Leggeat MD of Springfield Partnerships.
Kerry had led a group of nine home-owners left on what had become Livingston’s Ghost estate on Deans South after West Lothian Council condemned the estate moved all the tenants out in 2004 when Siporex or RAAC concrete roofing was branded dangerous.
Unable to move, Kerry remained on the site to fight for a fair deal for herself and the remaining homeowners.
It was the start of a long campaign for proper compensation- a home for a home- that was finally agreed in June 2023 when Springfield signed a deal to provide 55 new homes on the Deans South estate, clearing the Ghost estate of the decaying RAAC roofed houses.
Of the 55 news homes 46 will be affordable lets and nine will go to Kerry and her former homeowner neighbours including Isabel Baxter widow of fellow Deans south campaigner Joe Baxter who died last month. All of the home-owners will have the keys to their news homes by the end of the month.
Kerry told the LDRS: “I’m happy, nervous and excited. The moving teams are very compassionate and caring of the home-owners. I’m the second home-owner to move in. I’ll see Isabel around the corner. I’m sad Joe’s not here. There will be a tribute for him.”
She added: “The whole team at Springfield have been amazing. They have been an enormous support over the last eight years and have been determined to find a way forward even when we were all frustrated and things seemed bleak.
“A safe and secure home in a thriving community is all I’ve ever wanted and we’re finally in a position to make this happen. I can’t wait to get settled into my new home!”
Joining Kerry on the doorstep, local MP Hannah Bardell told the LDRS: “It’s an incredibly emotional day. I’m delighted for Kerry and the home-owners in Deans South. When I got elected in 2015 this was one of things that I absolutely wanted to see sorted.
”I remember coming down and seeing t folk living in slum houses and being shocked. We contacted lots of developers. No-one was interested. Springfield was the only one that wanted to come to the party and give people a house for a house and I’m delighted with everything the have done and I’m grateful to the council as well and the council officers that we have worked with”
She added: “There’s obviously responsibility to be borne there as well , but at the end of the day we all had to work together to make it happen.
“These folk have a new house and it’s a new start.”
Mr Leggeat said: “Handing the keys to brand new homes to the people that have lived in an abandoned estate for so many years marks a momentous moment in the story of Deans South. We are incredibly proud to have played a pivotal role in delivering high-quality and energy efficient homes that the community deserve.
“It has been a journey to say the least, and these new homes now stand as testament to our commitment to deliver much-needed social rented homes, as well as our promise to provide a ‘home for a home’ for those who have lived in Deans South for decades.
“We were delighted to watch Kerry take the first steps in her new home after years of tireless campaigning and we’re looking forward to watching the neighbourhood come to life as our new community members settle in.”
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
