We live in shadow of major stadium – we were promised a dream but it’s one of UK’s poorest areas & is covered in dust

PEOPLE living in the shadow of a grand stadium say they were promised a dream but endured a nightmare in one of Britain’s poorest areas.

Residents of Newham, East LondonAround the Olympic Park it is said that the entire place is covered with dust due to disruptive construction work crime and poverty is widespread.

1

After the London Olympics, there were plans to convert the area around the park, home to West Ham, into affordable housing and a thriving community centre.

But only 11% of the 13,000 homes since the area won the bid to host the 2012 Games are in the price range of those earning the local average.

Local resident Muni told MyLondon: “I’m sure more young adults would live here, but it’s difficult.”

“Even affordable housing is not affordable, which is a shame for younger people.”

She added that she is still dealing with dust from the construction site at her home.

Muni raged: “I’m vacuuming and sweeping, but two days later it’s back, it’s scary and very scary.”

“You spend your days keeping your apartment clean.

“It’s a nightmare for kids with asthma and allergies.”

Others point to crime problems, claiming that the nearby Westfield mall hurt local businesses.

Perfume salesman Hisam Shaikh said, “Those who cannot afford to go to Westfield come here.”

“Security has deteriorated. The crime rate has gone up.”

“People just leave Poundland with stuff.”

For Binman David Powell, the borough’s history is one of missed potential.

The summer of 2012 may have been an “encouraging time” for the region, but according to David, the promised Olympic legacy never materialised.

He said: “There were a lot of promises, but nothing seems to have happened.”

“Before it was local housing for the locals, then suddenly everything got out of hand – it’s not for normal working people.”

“I work here but my wages have gone down. I have no chance of owning an apartment.”

A spokesman for the London Legacy Development Corporation, which runs the park, said: “This is a long-term project which will take many years to complete, but thousands of new homes have already been built and thousands more are to come – many of them affordable.”

“The park has now firmly established itself as a local favorite and international visitor destination.

“The park does what it promises to local people, and there’s a lot more to come.”

This comes after it was revealed that a stadium that rivaled the Premier League stadium before its abandonment was now being used as a rugby ground.

Meanwhile, residents in the area around another major stadium said they were “disgusted” that the city council had declared war on fans and turned the city into a ghost town.