Our deserted estate was once a bustling NHS hub – now it’s a ghost town and is a magnet for vandals and drug dealing
RESIDENTS say their once-bustling NHS hub has now turned into a ghost town with vandals.
Fly-tippers and drug dealers have taken over the estate in Evington, Leicester.
Hospital Close which once was a vibrant community with nurses and doctors has now been “left to rot” since they all moved out in 2019.
Remaining residents in the shadow of Leicester General Hospital said to be living in fear as anti-social behaviour is blighting the area.
Fuming Ashley Lewis, 32, said: “It’s quite spooky to be honest, it’s a complete ghost town now.
“The fly-tipping is just constant, one thing will get dumped and once that’s cleared another load will replace it. It’s just really sad to see.”
“It’s gone from having these angels and life-savers to drug dealers and thugs.”
The 174 units in the estate used to be home to dozens of health workers, including many nurses and their families.
However, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust decided it could not afford to maintain the homes anymore.
Dozens of hospital staff were then booted out of their homes and given only three months to find a new place.
At the time angered George Kolankanny said: “Our children go to school near here, we have lived here for ten years, it is our home.
“We work at the hospital, we have lots of friends and neighbours here, we won’t have that anymore.”
Leicester City Council then bought the properties for a whopping £10.5 million in March 2021 and promised to splash £4 million in bringing the existing buildings up to modern standards.
But locals are slamming the council as “nothing has been done” and they said to feel “abandoned in a ghost town”.
Distraught Terry Goldsmith, 69, who lived in the estate for 45 years, explained: “The place has just been left to rot and its a real shame.
“It looks like a warzone, the whole place is boarded up and a complete mess. There’s no street lights so it’s quite frightening.
“The council said it would all be developed but nothing has happened in three years.
“It’s like they have forgotten about it and the remaining residents here.”
The council said the new homes are set to be built on the site next year as affordable housing.
A Leicester City Council spokesperson told The Sun: “We understand residents’ concerns regarding the condition of the site.
“We are working hard to bring the development forward as soon as possible with work expected to begin early next year.
“We have also put in place a programme of clearance work, along with regular grounds maintenance and 24-hour security to help tackle issues of antisocial behaviour.
“This is an ambitious £17million scheme being delivered in a very challenging economic climate. Once complete, it will provide much needed new housing and help revitalise what was at risk of becoming an abandoned estate.”
It comes as other locals living in Droylsden, Greater Manchester said their once-bustling area has gone so downhill it’s now a ghost town with ruined buildings.
Residents blamed the deserted shopping centre on a poor choice of shops and high rents driving out local traders.