A HOUSING association has been forced to put its plans on hold to close six sheltered housing schemes and make more than 200 pensioners move out of their homes.

News Shopper understands a top-level meeting took place last week between Bexley Council's chief executive Nick Johnson and London and Quadrant (L&Q) boss Don Wood, after councillors were inundated with complaints from angry residents and their families.

L&Q had intended to announce its decision on the future of the homes in November, but has now agreed to delay any decision until after Bexley has carried out a "thorough review" of the plans.

A working party has been set up, chaired by Councillor John Waters, cabinet member for regeneration and housing, to examine the proposals and review L&Q's plans for further consultations with residents.

This week council leader Councillor Ian Clement said: "We remain to be convinced the changes L&Q is proposing are actually necessary.

"I decided to act because I was not satisfied it was giving enough attention to the interests of the tenants."

He added: "Unfortunately, we are not in a position to give guarantees about the future of L&Q's schemes in the borough.

"They are owned by L&Q and we can only withhold our consent for any changes, if we have good reason."

L&Q held a meeting last week for residents of the six affected schemes and their families, at the Marriott Hotel, Bexleyheath.

Emotions were running high at the meeting, with many people refusing to accept L&Q's claims sheltered housing is no longer popular.

It says the six schemes - Mable Crout Court, Welling; Elrick Close, Crayford; Hanover Way, Bexleyheath and Frank Godley Court, Heron Crescent and Meadows Court, all in Sidcup - are not suitable for upgrading to meet modern expectations.

Residents from Frank Godley Court demonstrated outside the meeting.

Many of the residents in the affected schemes have now launched their own campaigns to save their homes.

At Hanover Way, Bexleyheath, two of the 35 residents, Betty Williams, 72, and Ben Grafton, 88, moved in less than two years ago after L&Q closed The Homestead in Crayford and turned it into flats.

Another resident Pat Savage, 77, only moved in a month ago.

L&Q has 16 sheltered housing schemes in the borough, which were transferred from Bexley Council ownership in 1998 as part of the transfer of council housing stock.