‘I don’t ask for a palace’: Life inside flats facing demolition

Kieran Molloy, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents facing the demolition of their council flats say they have endured years of cold, damp and mould while waiting to be rehoused.

Tenants living in a block of flats at the Cardiff Council-owned Channel View estate in Grangetown were told in 2016 that the building was going to be demolished and they would be moved into new flats being built nearby.

Almost ten years later, the tower block is still standing and residents are concerned about deteriorating conditions inside.

Katy Monaghan, 66, said: “My room is very, very cold.”

She continued: “I think if I pulled my paper out in the bedroom, I know it would be damp there because it’s very, very damp,

“It feels damp, so I know I have mould there.”

She also said that she feels like her flat is the coldest one in the building.

Ms Monaghan has Raynaud’s disease, which causes fingers and toes to become temporarily restricted in response to the cold, and because of this the cold is “really, really painful”.

She continued: “The pain is so, so bad. I can’t think straight. I have to get them warm again before I can do anything.”

She said: “I just couldn’t bear thinking I had to spend more time here.

“I don’t ask for a palace, but I do ask for something liveable.”

Another resident, Regina Chapple, 79, agreed, she said: “It’s damp where I am.

“I [would] just like to go in a warmer place, really, for the rest of my days.”

In regard to the cold, the council said: “We recognise that removing the cladding has reduced the thermal efficiency of the building, and we fully appreciate the concerns residents have raised.”

“In response, we have provided discretionary payments to offer additional support with heating costs during this period. These payments are intended to help ease the impact while we continue working to improve comfort and energy performance across the block.”

Resident Mavis Jewitt, 72, said she was having problems with mould in her flat,

Three months ago, Cardiff Council did remove the mould but now parts of her flat are “black, all black again”.

Ms Jewitt spoke to a doctor who told her she shouldn’t be living with black mould due to her asthma.

She said she told the council about this but they “still haven’t come down”.

Resident Marlene Nealson, 77, is suffering with damp and mould spreading across her ceiling, she has told the council but, in her words, “nothing seems to be getting done about it”.

She said: “[A council worker] comes down, he looks at it, he goes ‘oh, I’ll come back with a plumber’ or ‘I’ll come back with a builder’ but they’re just not doing anything about it.

“It’s just not right the way we’re living.”

Council contractors are currently on site completing a range of works including mould eradication, repairs to leaks to tackle damp, repairs to windows as well as other works.

A freedom of information request sent by Hilary’s, a manufacturer and retailer of window blinds and curtains, to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) revealed that Cardiff Council has spent a total of £1,847,930.90 tackling mould and damp across homes in the capital between 2024 and 2025.

The council told the LDRS: “The costs of responding to damp and mould cases across our housing stock covers inspections and diagnosis; repairs to address the underlying cause (for example leaks or defects); treatment and making-good works; and, where required, specialist surveys or contractor support.

“We recognise the impact damp and mould can have on health and wellbeing, and our commitment remains focused on responding quickly and efficiently to ensuring tenants feel safe and comfortable in their homes.”

Ms Monaghan and Ms Nealson also said that they had stored a bike and a “brand spanking new” mobility walker in the communal sheds outside the building. However, they claimed that these were confiscated by the council and that they were told the items were fire risks. They said they have not received the items back  yet.

They told the LDRS that contractors working on the building stored material in the sheds which, at time of interviewing, were not removed.

Ms Nealson said the council was willing to reimburse her for a new walker.

The council said: “Sheds at the flats are for use by residents. However, if any items are left outside in the communal areas, they are removed as escape routes must be kept clear of any obstruction due to fire safety requirements in high rise blocks.

“Notes are placed on the items to allow them to be moved by the owners before they are removed. If we are aware of the owners, we request they remove the items before they are moved from the location.”

The LDRS also understands that the council has informed the contractors about the appropriate place to store their items and they have now been removed from the shed.

Residents also complained of one of the lifts in the building frequently breaking, forcing some to use the staircase instead.

In a previous visit to the block, the LDRS was told to avoid the staircase due to asbestos risk.

The council said: “Since summer 2025 there have been 10 reported issues with the lift. Six of these were linked to misuse or accidental damage, and all identified faults have now been fully repaired.

“The block is inspected daily by the on-site caretaker, which helps ensure any issues are picked up quickly.

“If there are ever any concerns relating to asbestos, these are reported immediately and dealt with promptly in line with safety requirements, with repairs or removal carried out as soon as possible to ensure residents’ safety.”

Asbestos was a commonly used building material in the 1970s, when Channel View was first built, and is only dangerous when it is disturbed or damaged.

Works are taking place throughout the tower block to install a new sprinkler system and replace many doors and door frames. Some existing door frames contain asbestos.

The council said any asbestos in the door frames “will be removed under controlled conditions” as part of the works.

The ongoing works have confused some residents as the building is marked for demolition and is scheduled to be empty of residents in a few years.

One tenant, Eric Garner, 72, said: “I’ve been told the reasons for [the works] is the new legislation [Building Safety Act (Wales)] .”

He continued: “Which is right, but also legislation has to be tempered with a bit of common sense.”

The council said: “To comply with current legislation, the council is carrying out some essential fire safety works at Channel View including replacing front doors, communal doors and door frames.

“Any asbestos in these locations will be removed under controlled conditions as part of the ongoing works and making good repairs completed following installation of the fire door and frames.

“Residents have been asked to vacate their homes during the day the work takes place in their communal area.

“We understand that this may cause inconvenience, and we are committed to supporting tenants to provide safe alternative spaces if they cannot stay with family or friends.”

Mr Garner said that he could not understand why money is being spent on the works when it could be spent on other council properties, which have their own problems, with a “long term future”.

However, he did acknowledge that money spent on the works may be coming from Welsh Government grants but that it was “taxpayer’s money” regardless and should be spent in a “more direct, sensible way than the way it’s being malused at the moment”.

When asked for the cost of works being carried out in Channel View, the council did not provide a figure and requested that a freedom of information request be made.

Mr Garner suggested the council would be better placed using alternative and potentially more cost effective solutions for fire safety, like the use of fire wardens.

The council said: “A fire watch was in place at Channel View previously before the cladding was removed from the building.  However, even with a waking watch, these fire safety improvements within the building would still be necessary to comply with legislation and maintain the highest standards of safety possible.”

Despite the demolition plans, some residents spoken to by the LDRS did not believe that the flats were actually going to be demolished.

One resident called the demolition plans “rubbish, absolutely rubbish”.

However, Cardiff Council has told the LDRS that the tower block will be demolished in early 2028.

Residents of the Channel View flats are scheduled to be moved into a new development that is being built close to the older site.

The wider redevelopment scheme of the Channel View estate will deliver around 350 new homes, with 126 apartments delivered in its first phase.

The new developments are currently under construction, with Block B of the new building expected to be completed by the end of 2026 and Block A to be ready by the end of 2027.

They are expected to include communal facilities, a rooftop terrace and a community cafe.

The apartments have been designed to focus on adaptable layouts for future care needs and community-focused spaces.