Fury at lawn ban for kids who live in flats (From Echo)

Fury at lawn ban for kids who live in flats

3:00pm Wednesday 8th July 2009 in

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CHILDREN who live in a Basildon apartment block have been banned from using the gardens in case they ruin the grass.

Exasperated parents living in Thistledown Court, Long Riding, can’t believe the housing association, Family Mosaic, has locked their children out.

Residents at the block, which opened two years ago, have received a letter from Family Mosaic warning them to keep away and not wreck the manicured lawns.

The three gardens are now fenced off and locked up, leaving parents with little choice but to let children play in the car park – the only other open area.

Darryl Fletcher, 24, who lives there with his partner Zoe Davis, 27, and her four-year-old son Owen, said: “We couldn’t believe it when we got the letter. We would never have moved in if we’d known the kids would have nowhere to play.

“There are 15 young families living in these apartments, and it’s a total waste we can’t use the gardens.”

Another woman, 34, who also lives there with her son, fears there will be a serious accident if the children go on playing in the car park.

She said: “We don’t want our kids playing there, but we’ve got no choice.

“I worry someone will knock one of them over, but we can’t keep them inside all the time.”

When contacted by the Echo, Family Mosaic said the lawns were locked as they were insecure, but did not explain what this means.

Spokeswoman Susannah Colgate said: “There is a fenced off grass area that they currently don’t have access to, as it is currently not secure.

“Meetings will take place during the next couple of weeks to get this resolved.”