Island squatters 'revenge' threatens to block housing sell-off plans (From Surrey Comet)

Island squatters 'revenge' threatens to block housing sell-off plans

9:20am Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News By Ross Logan, Chief Reporter

The group have pitched a tent next to the town's historic coronation stone

Squatters booted off an island in the Thames are reaping their 'revenge' on Kingston Council, the leader has said.

They pitched a tent next to the town's historic coronation stone yesterday afternoon.

A group claiming to be the same as the one on Raven's Ait island in Surbiton in 2008, has taken over empty sheltered housing in Waters Square, Norbiton.

A court hearing is expected to take place this morning at Kingston County Court as the council tries to evict them.

Leader of Kingston Council, councillor Derek Osbourne said last night: "I arrived this afternoon and there was a tent pitched on the grounds by the coronation stone.

"Since mid February, we've had squatters in Waters Square. We believe there's some link to the Raven's Ait squatters.

"We received an email from their lawyer saying its all 'revenge' for when we kicked them off Raven's Ait."

Sheltered housing at Waters Square was closed to build homes to make a dent in the housing waiting list.

Coun Osbourne said: "They're now squatting in a property that has been made unfit for purpose.

"We're getting rid of the property, there's a deal with a housing association to turn it into modern homes for people on the homeless list.

"Now we've got a bunch of people who are living rent free in a place with just walls and boarded up windows and no facilities preventing us turning it into housing for decent people."