Pitcairn House is a nine-storey Hackney Council-run block in St Thomas’ Square, and home to hundreds of people, the majority of whom are council tenants. Those living on the estate claim they have been “intentionally neglected”, reporting ongoing problems with “persistent” leaks from crumbling old pipes, rats, fly-tipping and broken amenities for more than a decade. The block was built to a design by renowned architect Eric Lyons in 1963, but has been allowed to fall into disrepair due to council inaction, residents claim.
The block was designed by architect Eric Lyons (Image: Newsquest) Zoe Goodman, a leaseholder who lives in a fifth floor flat, told the Hackney Gazette that the problems pose a “major health and safety concern”. She explained: “Some of the leaks go into the electrics, which is a fire risk. “Loads of flats have had their fire alarms decommissioned because of previous or current leaks.
“We also have leaks in the stairwell, which is our only fire escape, making them slippery and wet. It’s really dangerous.” Hackney Council said that while leaks have been affecting people's homes, these "will not have impacted the overall structure of the building".
The authority added that all housing blocks are "regularly inspected", but anyone with concerns about fire escapes should contact the council immediately. Among a litany of other problems, Zoe claims that the lifts in the block regularly break, leaving some people stranded for long periods. Th.