RESIDENTS living in the shadow of a Premier League stadium say it’s so noisy that their houses shake.
Home to newly-promoted Luton Town FC, Kenilworth Road is now buzzing with builders working to bring the 120-year-old ground up to Prem standards.
But locals in the area around the stadium said they are paying the price for the club’s success – and will be cut off from their home by police road closures on match days.
Fuming resident Abdul, 50, lives yards away from the site of a new £10million stand.
The street outside his home has already been closed to traffic for two full days this week so heavy construction lorries can access the football ground – and it is due to close again tomorrow.
Abdul told how his whole kitchen shook when piledrivers were used to put in new foundations at the ground.
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He said: “It made my cutlery drawer rattle. Sometimes they started work at 6am, but after we complained they’re not starting until 8.
“We are treated as second class citizens.
“They don’t even give us any notice that they’re closing the street.
“They just stick up a sign up at teatime saying it will be closed the following day.
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“We pay between £60 and £100 for residents’ permits to park here. You can bet we won’t get a rebate.”
Sacks of rubbish have been left festering on the pavement because binmen have been unable to drive down the street.
Neighbour Jillur Rahman, 40, said: “The council don’t care. They disregard the need of residents and there’s no consultation.
“They just come along about 5pm and stick up signs saying parking will be banned the following day. There’s no advance warning.
“We buy permits so we can park outside our homes and then we find that we can’t. So what are we supposed to do?
“My wife and I have already been fined more than £100 because we parked in the wrong place, and nobody seems to care.
“This is the most deprived part of Luton so we get picked on. The council wouldn’t dream of doing this in other areas of the town.”
PARKING MAD
Mum-of-five Prvin Begum, who has lived in Beech Road for 42 years, said: “I don’t watch football, but I think it is brilliant that Luton have been promoted to the Premier League.
“It’s bound to be good for the town. Of course, it’ll probably get a bit rowdy on match days.
“But apart from the parking – which is always a problem – I think it will be fine.”
Harry Hussain, 38, who runs a nearby grocery shop, said: “It’s exciting for the team to be back in the Premier League when 10 years ago they were in the National League.
But I don’t know what fans from big clubs such as Manchester City and Liverpool will think when they see Kenilworth Road.
“They’ll be like this must be a mistake!”
Lifelong local Mohammed Ahmed said: “Despite living so near to the ground, I don’t really watch football.
“But we can hear everything going on in the match from our living room. So maybe I’ll start supporting them next season.”
Warehouse operative Shah Noor, 39, of Beech Road, said: “I work at night and it can be a bit difficult getting to sleep while the construction work.
“The crowd noise at evening matches can be a bit of a problem too, especially as we have a 19-month-old baby.
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“But I’m a Luton supporter – so I’m very excited about their promotion.”
Luton Borough Council has been contacted for comment.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
