One of the two remaining closes at Cumberland Road which is awaiting demolition is a danger to the public. Since about 30 minutes after the last occupants left, local ‘children’ have been targeting this close and the building site next to this. This has no security and the close only has the bottom level boarded up.

For the past two weeks these ‘children’ have been smashing the windows of the three higher levels. They are using bricks from the insecure compound and when they are missing the windows, the bricks are bouncing off the building and landing in the road. One of said bricks missed my car by inches when I was driving home at 6pm last night. Over the past week we have watched the police and community wardens speak to these people but are not showing any consideration for other residents of this street.

I feel sorry for the elderly residents of this area as they are too scared to leave home in case they are struck by the missiles being thrown. This project is supposed to be regenerating this area but since it has started it has caused nothing but a major headache for the residents of this area as the contractors/River Clyde Homes are not paying any heed to the consideration of the residents in this area and the implications of unattended building sites and insecure derelict properties.

It’s only a matter of time before a passing car/pedestrian is hit by one of these bricks as this is happening every night.

Frustrated Larkfield Resident. Posted at 12.25pm, 10 July 2012

-- I am a resident of Larkfield and I have to use Cumberland Road on a daily basis and, since the start of the housing project, my car has suffered so much damage that I seriously have to consider if it's worthwhile the high repair bill or if it's time to replace my car. I’ve had punctures, chipped windscreen with stones being thrown up from buses and cars passing, suspension and other problems; the list is growing. Other people have been worse off but if this was any other district, the road would be closed but as they are working on Westmorland Road also this is the reason why this option isn’t possible. It also causes a major safety issue to school children who go to St Andrew’s Primary and other local schools. It's a nightmare. There are going to be serious accidents caused as residents of Cumberland Road are being forced to park their cars on the main road as there isn’t any parking for them.

Aldo. Posted at 3.15pm, 10 July 2012

-- I am a resident of Cumberland Road and I have to agree that it’s just not acceptable; the state of the road and the lack of fencing round the derelict flats. I have witnessed windows getting smashed, boilers being stolen and it’s only a matter of time before somebody sets them alight. My car also is getting a hard time as the road is just full of potholes and constantly full of mud. Also, as the car parks are no longer available to use, I have to park on the main road. I feel that alternative parking should be provided to accommodate existing residents.

Mark. Posted at 10.40am, 11 July 2012

-- I have passed photos of the mess around Stafford Road /Westmorland Road to the MSP for here. They have Westmorland Road and the end of Stafford Road closed the same as Cumberland Road, not for drainage as they say, but their own convenience. They have destroyed the pavement so that it is dangerous and impassable for anyone with a pram. The path and road is awash with mud and impassable. I am hoping that the photos are sent to Inverclyde Council and River Clyde Homes and to the Scottish Health and Safety Executive. The amount of equipment that is moving and reversing around should have a banksman to make sure it is safe for them to reverse and children are not in the vicinity of these machines. They have an open storage site at Stafford Road and it is a danger to people who use the land to get to the hospital and if children play there.

Up To My Ankles In Mud. Posted at 10.40am, 11 July 2012

-- As one of the last residents to be moved out of the now empty building on Cumberland Road, I understand everyone’s concerns. In the last month of staying there, our flat was flooded three times by boilers being stolen. Everyone you speak to seems to know the people who are stealing them, but nothing seems to be done. Apart from that, the parking issues are pointless because the car parks adjoined to the flats were for the residents of said flats and not for residents from across Cumberland Road, as written on the countless letters sent from River Clyde Homes.

Resident. Posted at 12.30am, 12 July 2012

Here is another picture of that block taken a few weeks ago. The windows are a lot worse now!

Frustrated Larkfield Resident. Posted at 12.35pm, 12 July 2012

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