Metal grates have been installed over the vents down into the rear of the Ponton House garages to help with ongoing smell issues caused by blocked drains and stagnant water in the unused and derelict garage space.
This an ongoing recurring issue that was particularly bad last year at Ponton House. Flooding has has previously been an issue at Baly House.
The garages at Ponton, Baly, and Ducavel House extend under the platform and maisonettes until the edge of the paved areas onto the grass in the middle of the estate. The plan below is approximate (we are unsure of the exact number of the garages) with the structure underground in blues, street level in orange, and the maisonette blocks in pink. All 3 properties who’s gardens back onto the platform on each block are over the void of the garages. The first property (number 1) of the next block is also partly over the void of the garages, as is the entrance to the block stairwell.
The garages under Ponton, Baly, and Ducavel House have been unused for a very long time and are in a bad state of disrepair. Back in 20217 the PRERA committee campaigned to have the garages cleared of dangerous and potentially flammable rubbish and get the entrances secured. They were used for storage during the Capital Works programme on the estate from 2019–2023. They are currently unused and there are no plans to refurbish them, with cost and safety have both been given as blockers.