We live in UK’s ‘most polluted’ estate… plants die in hours and life expectancy is low but we never want to leave
RESIDENTS in UK’s “most polluted” estate have revealed the air is so toxic the plants die in hours – but they don’t want to leave.
People living in Nechells, Birmingham, claim the killer air has impacted their health and lowered their life expectancy.
The Brummie suburb has been branded a “hell hole” after years of heavy contamination.
The dreary-looking council estate is surrounded by industrial sites, factories and the busiest roadways in the West Midlands.
Locals claim the pollution is so strong they can see, smell and taste the clouds full of smog.
Resident Gillian Bird told Sun Online: “There’s so many cars and lorries work wagons on the road now, and the pollution is really bad.
“I have to keep my windows closed most of the time because the smell comes in.”
Former hairdresser, June, also fumed: “I’ve given up growing plants on my balcony, you put them out there and within hours they’re dead.”
Health officials have alerted residents as the area has one of the lowest expectancy rates in the UK.
Men and women have a rate of just 76 years, according to Health Equals.
Experts claim the air could be the cause of resident’s poor heath – with many suffering heart and lung diseases.
However, tenants said they never want to leave their homes.
Pensioner June said: “The council’s been trying to move me to an old people’s place in the area but I refuse to go. I keep telling them I’m happy staying here.
“People are friendly and there’s some pleasant green space to look at and walk across.”
Other tenants added that the area is “not a bad place” with a good community of neighbours.
But some claimed the pollution has gone worse and residents are now moving out of Nechells.
They have slammed the council for “not doing enough” to fix the alarming situation.
Former resident of Victor Tower, Kaise Salah, 29, said: “You see and smell the smoke from the factories, and there’s a really acrid stench of rubbish burning most days.
“It should be stopped but nothing’s being done.”
Birmingham City Council claimed they have put up monitors to assess the impact of the air in the area.
Councillor Lee Marsham said: “We know that poor air quality results in poor health qualities so we’re keen to see what the results show in order to make changes to people’s lives.”
This comes as a family who live under the M4 motorway can feel their home shudder as heavy traffic passes overhead – but they love it.
Arthur and Gwyneth Howells, who live there with son Jason, have adapted to the increasing flow of traffic over the years – and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Elsewhere, neighbours living next to the UK’s busiest road said that despite what people may think – life there is really not that bad.
Residents live in Edgewood Mews in Finchley, North London, which at its busiest has 10,000 vehicles an hour chugging along it.