We’ve lived here for years but now we can’t park on our street

Gary and Freda Lewis said they have to walk some distance from their home to their car which causes them difficulties

An elderly couple with mobility issues claim they can’t park their car outside their home causing them health issues. Gary Lewis, 72, and his wife Freda, 67, live in Southwark Grove in Netherton.

Opposite their house, on what used to be a football field, One Vision Housing is building 149 homes as part of its Morris Meadows housing development. The couple said they, and other residents living in nearby existing homes, were told they would be given an allocated parking space as part of the development.

A plan shared with the ECHO, showing layby parking for houses one to nine, which includes Gary and Freda’s house house, as well as for houses 11 to 23. Retired shopkeeper Gary claims that he was told he will no longer get a parking space as part of the development. However, One Vision Housing told the ECHO that “additional and enhanced parking has been provided to local residents” as a result of the development, though the spaces are not individually allocated.

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To make matters worse, a metal barrier has been put up in Southwark Grove which has effectively cut Gary and Freda’s home off from the street itself. The couple said this has made getting to their car incredibly difficult.

At the minute, if Gary parked his car on the road outside his home, he said he would have to manoeuvre past the barrier – either walking the length of the street to find a gap in it or climbing over it. As a result, his approach is to park on a nearby side street. He said this involves walking further than he feels he should have to, especially causing difficulties when he has to carry shopping.

Gary told the ECHO: “My mum moved here when I was six. I grew up in the houses around Southwark Grove, facing the field. We’ve lived around here all our lives. We moved back in five years ago because we like the place. It’s nice and quiet and they said they would give us a parking space.

“The development has been going on for years. We got this house on the understanding that we would get a car parking space. There’s a pathway – we face the field and there’s a path going all the way along. There’s about seventeen houses. In between, there’s two roads splitting the houses up.

“That’s where we leave the car. I’m very frustrated. I have a compressed vertebrae from my neck. I used to be an apprentice jockey and I got thrown off when I was 17.

“Having a car parking space is really important for us. Either we have to park on the road and walk around the barrier – or park on one of the side streets.”

Gary and Freda said this causes them a lot of difficulties as they cannot walk too far without feeling pain. Freda added: “I was diagnosed with lung cancer and had an operation nine months ago. It was very difficult trying to get up into the car and trying to get in the car and back.

“Trying to carry shopping to and from the car is difficult. Gary has a blue badge, so we thought we’d have the car up the path and we thought we would just pop out to it.”

“I’ve got COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), which affects my breathing. I’ve also got vasculitis, so I can’t walk that far without it being painful. They’ve got railings as well. My husband has to climb over or walk around – it’s like a barrier. It’s a total eyesore, it’s getting harder and harder to get to the car.

“It’s like we don’t matter. We put a lot of money into this house and we’re not allowed to park on our road. They say it’s not our road.”

A One Vision Housing spokesperson said: “The flagship Morris Meadows development in the heart of Netherton provides 149 affordable and quality homes, supporting the local housing demand.

“Prior to the delivery of the new homes at Morris Meadows, public consultation commenced. During consultation our colleagues continued to meet with local residents where they were informed of the use of public car parking spaces which would be provided as part of the new build development. All plans were shared publicly prior and post planning approval.