November 7th 2024.
Residents in Gillingham, Kent were taken aback when a new block of flats was built with balconies surrounding a lamppost. Construction of the four-storey building began in 2022 and balconies were recently added by the developers. However, workers overlooked the lamppost and did not remove it before building, leaving one unfortunate resident with a lamppost on their balcony.
The unusual design has sparked confusion among locals, with some joking that the future tenant will have free lighting for their balcony. Others have pointed out that the lamppost could serve as a convenient escape route in case of a fire. The building, which used to be a pub, has now become a topic of amusement for the residents of Gillingham.
Barry Knight, a resident of Gillingham, visited the site on Jeffrey Street after seeing a photo on social media. He shared his thoughts, saying, "It's funny, but it shouldn't be. I wouldn't want to live there."
The developer, Afaad Ltd, has defended the balcony, explaining that it was necessary to build around the lamppost in order to meet deadlines. A company spokesperson stated, "It's still a work in progress, we're still in the process of installing it. The final product is not complete yet. We had to work around the lamppost because it's council property and we needed permission to remove it. So we had no choice but to leave it there."
The developer has plans to remove the lamppost in the future and fill in the gaps on the balcony. They are currently working with the local council to make this happen. Interestingly, the site of the new flats used to be a pub called the Dog and Gun. In 2019, Medway Council approved plans to convert the pub into a block of flats, with a height of 11 meters. However, before construction began in 2022, the height was increased to 13.1 meters.
The new building made headlines in August when an Arriva bus crashed into the scaffolding surrounding it, causing a major response from emergency services. Despite the unusual design and unexpected incidents, the building is still on track to be completed in the coming months.
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