Families Left Homeless as Eight Illegal Homes Face Demolition
Families Forced to Leave Illegal Housing in Lewisham
Families living in a row of rental houses in Lewisham, south London, are facing the difficult task of finding new homes after the properties were found to be illegally constructed. The eight terraced homes, known as Kanli Mews, were built on a narrow plot behind shops, even though the land was only approved for storage units. Instead, Eden Park Property Ltd, a company co-owned by Husayin, Koray, and Sanel Kanli, erected two-storey houses and rented them out at high prices.
One tenant, 50-year-old Magbule Selyahtinova, has lived in the property for around five years without knowing that the homes were built without proper permission. She told the Daily Mail that she is stressed and unsure where she will go next. “We’re stuck in limbo. Where will we go?” she asked. Selyahtinova explained that she and her husband are paying more than £1,000 a month in rent but cannot find a new place because landlords are unwilling to rent to people receiving Universal Credit.
She added that her daughter had already moved out after learning the houses would eventually be demolished. “We have so much luggage, so many things here, we’re under a lot of stress,” she said. “Nobody is pressuring me right now, but this thing is hanging over us, because today, tomorrow, whenever it is, we have to move out.”
Three families remain at Kanli Mews, searching for new accommodation. Most tenants have already left, according to Selyahtinova. “My daughter was here too and she moved, most people moved,” she said. “We can’t find any. They won’t lease to us because we’re getting help, and nobody will rent to us like that.”
History of the Illegal Development
Lewisham Council granted planning permission in 2009 for existing garages to be demolished and turned into eight storage units. However, Eden Park Properties, which describes itself as a “small family business” with an ethos of “always having time for our tenants,” bought the site in 2018 and converted it into housing.
In 2021, council planners issued an enforcement notice demanding the developers demolish the site or convert it back into storage units. The developers appealed the decision in 2023, but the independent planning inspectorate ruled in favor of the council earlier this year.
Inspector Timothy King described the homes as too small, lacking proper outdoor space, and not suitable for living. He stated that each house, measuring just 50 square metres, offered a “poor standard of accommodation” and was an “unacceptable form of development.” The ruling also noted that the development harmed the character of the surrounding area and did not add to its overall quality.
Eden Park Properties must now either demolish the houses or rebuild the site in line with the original plans. The land has since been put up for sale with no guide price. Sales details warn buyers: “Eight two-storey houses built in 2018 need to be demolished, then it requires the construction of a two-storey commercial building for warehouse or light industrial use.”
Company’s Response and Ongoing Issues
Eden Park Property Limited refused to comment when approached by the Daily Mail. However, Husayin Kanli, one of the company’s co-directors, claimed there was “no issue at all” and insisted “there’s no-one living there.” When it was pointed out that tenants remained at the address, Mr. Kanli ended the call.
The company’s website promotes its approach as being “based on a strong desire to always enrich, never take away from, the local surroundings and community.” It adds that “key to the way we work is the long-term relationships we look to build, nurture and maintain with our tenants.”
A new planning application submitted last year by Eden Park to turn the illegal terrace into five residential homes is yet to be determined by Lewisham Council. Until then, families like Selyahtinova’s remain in a state of uncertainty, struggling to find a safe and stable place to live.
