In this episode, I sit down with Martin Donkin — chair of the Coniston House Tenants & Residents Association (CHTRA) — to unpack one of the most outrageous examples of planning gone wrong and residents being ignored.

Tower Hamlets Council signed off on what was pitched as a “low-impact” rooftop extension by Eastend Homes. What followed has been anything but. Serious water damage, unsafe living conditions, and families forced into temporary accommodation — all because the building was left unsealed and neglected during construction.

Martin, like so many before him, didn’t set out to be a campaigner. He just wanted the issues fixed. But when the damage spread and the silence deepened, he stepped up. Now, through CHTRA, he’s leading the fight for justice.

This isn’t just a story about poor workmanship. It’s about a system that enables failure — where residents are treated as obstacles, not partners, and where accountability is always someone else’s job.

CHTRA has taken legal action. They’ve been on ITV News. London Assembly Member Zoë Garbett has visited the site and publicly called out the disgraceful conditions. And yet, the disruption continues.

So we’re asking: is this greed, stupidity, incompetence — or all of the above?

https://www.chtra.org.uk/

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