Residents accused council of racism when housing plans failed. Police were called after the meeting halted.
Esther Ogedengbe wanted to change her five-bedroom house on St Andrew’s Drive into a shared home. The council said no, requesting proof it wasn’t wanted as a family home.
Esther and a relative became very upset and loudly accused the committee of racism, questioning if it was due to their foreign background. The meeting halted for ten minutes. The pair argued with officers outside, and they refused to leave.
Police were called as a precaution; however, the applicants had already left. Councillor Bob Bushell stated that race played no part in the decision, emphasizing it was based solely on planning rules.
Bushell found the racism claims offensive, asserting they were unrelated to their decision. This plan had failed before in 2022 because the house wasn’t for sale at all then.
Esther claimed the house was on the market this time, having been listed for months without offers. Council members thought the price was too high, and neighbors hadn’t seen any “for sale” sign.
Resident Rosie Fairweather told the committee it was only listed for four weeks and needed more advertising time. She pointed out that the road is already quite busy, and parking is difficult; this house change would worsen the situation.
Councillor Gary Hewes concurred with Rosie’s observations, stating the marketing was flawed. As a nearby resident, he hadn’t seen a sign for the property either. Another councillor doubted the low interest as well.
Councillor Callum Roper noted that five-bedroom houses are quite rare and popular now. He found it hard to believe nobody wants it.
Esther’s relative stated they tried to sell and rent it as a family home, but nothing worked. Despite suggestions to move the meeting due to the noise, it eventually continued.
Esther can reapply in the future, provided the house is on the market for six months. Afterward, she can submit another application for the housing project.