Peterborough mum of five 'won't move' if no new home has been found for her before eviction

A Peterborough mum who is facing eviction after all residents on her streets were ordered to leave has said she will not move out unless suitable accommodation is found for her and her family.

Nadine Jones moved into her home at St Michael’s Gate in January last year, after needing emergency accommodation due to fears of domestic abuse.

But earlier this year all residents living in the street were given eviction notices. The notices were handed out at the end of June, giving everyone until August 19 to leave.

While some residents have been offered new homes, Nadine (33), who is expecting her sixth child in the autumn, is one of around 20 residents who are still living in St Michael’s Gate.

Nadine said: “We have not been given any update at all. No-one has said anything to us.

"We have not been offered anything at all. There are certain parts of the city I can’t live in, and time is running out.

"I spoke to the person who manages the estate, asking what happens if there are no properties available – they said we would still have to move out.

"There are still about 20 people living here – I don’t know all their situations, but there are still quite a few of us.

"I know I won’t move out on the 19th if we have no-where to go.”

The estate is used by Peterborough City Council to provide emergency housing, and is managed by Stef &Phillips, and has been since 2016. Yet, the council has now decided that that it is not financially viable to renew the lease agreement with the company; which runs out this August.

The estate hit the headlines in 2016, when all 74 homes on the estate were brought by Paul Simon Magic Homes and were then to be managed by Stef & Phillips – with all residents told they would have to leave, and the homes to be used to provide accommodation for homeless residents.

Nadine is also planning on taking her children on holiday next week – the first holiday they will have been on as a family since before the COVID pandemic started.

She is also concerned about the schooling situation for her children – the eldest goes to a special school.

She said: “We have not been on holiday for a long time, and it is important for the children. The children need that break.

“We might have to cut that short if something comes up while we are away. That is not fair on us, as we didn’t put ourselves in this position – we had to move to the estate because of the domestic violence.

"We have already been living out of boxes for a long time – there are now more and more boxes, so we are ready to go.

“We need to know soon, because the children need to know where they are going to school.

"My anxiety is so high at the moment. It is so scary.”

The Peterborough Telegraph has contacted Peterborough City Council for comment