A Growing Concern for Residents
An elderly disabled resident in an Orpington housing complex has expressed feelings of being “a prisoner in my own home” following the installation of a barrier at the entrance. Patricia Buckley, 79, is worried that ambulances might face difficulties entering Lancelot Court to assist her if she becomes unwell. The housing association, Hyde, which manages Lancelot Court, stated that the barrier was put in place at the request of residents due to issues with antisocial behaviour.
Hyde emphasized that emergency services can still access the building and use the barrier’s fire control switch if necessary. The barrier was installed along with CCTV in January, as requested by residents. However, some individuals living at Lancelot Court have not been pleased with these new security measures.
Patricia has lived in the housing complex at the corner of Court Road and Avalon Road since 2007. She has several health issues, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and arthritis. In recent weeks, she has been hospitalized multiple times after contracting pneumonia.
Although Patricia supported the idea of the barrier for the added safety it provides, she feels it has created numerous problems for the residents of Lancelot Court. She said: “I like to be as independent as I possibly can, but I have my limits. When you get old you have to accept your limits. To be a prisoner in your own home, my life has been made more and more difficult.”
Before the barrier was installed, Patricia could have her groceries delivered directly to her door, requiring only a stairlift to open her front door for the delivery driver. Now, she must leave her house and walk approximately 100 yards to the barrier to open it manually.
Another resident of Lancelot Court who has raised concerns about the barrier is a single mother of two, who chose to remain unnamed. One of her children has special educational needs, and she often cannot leave her house to open the barrier to receive groceries and other deliveries. She relies on these deliveries because she does not drive and mentioned that many of them have canceled on her because the vans couldn’t gain access.
She said: “I can’t always leave the property. Sometimes I can, but sometimes I can’t. It’s just not possible. If there was an accident and I can’t physically move, I wouldn’t be able to let anyone in.”
The mother also felt the barrier had caused additional problems for Patricia. She said: “I just think it’s so unfair to treat an elderly disabled person like that. It’s so discriminative. I just think where is your heart in this?”
Both women noted that the extra security measures were implemented after Lancelot Court became a hotspot for drug dealing. However, they mentioned that there have been no issues since 2024 and questioned why Hyde responded to these concerns only two years later.
They both believe that the addition of CCTV was sufficient to deter crime and antisocial behavior at Lancelot Court. They also stated that neither of them was consulted about the barrier installation, only the CCTV.
Hyde has refuted this, claiming that a Section 20 consultation was conducted. A Section 20 is a mandatory legal process that landlords must follow before charging leaseholders for major works or long-term service contracts.
Hyde also highlighted that delivery drivers can access Lancelot Court via the barrier’s intercom system and that emergency services can still easily gain access. A Hyde spokesperson stated: “The barrier and CCTV were installed at Lancelot Court in January, following a request by customers due to antisocial behaviour issues. A full consultation with customers took place before the barrier was installed. Emergency services can of course still access the building, and can access the car park by using the barrier’s fire control switch that emergency services use if needed. Delivery drivers can access the building via the intercom system and there are no restrictions to the pedestrian walkway. We understand there are concerns around carers and visitors needing regular access to the car park and are currently looking into solutions.”
