By Cameron Blackshaw

Residents living near a derelict building abandoned for 20 years say they are fed up with the anti-social behaviour it attracts and fear their properties are losing value.

The Chalet in Kirkstone Way, Bromley, used to be an attractive home in a quiet area of the borough’s suburbs. Now it is an empty, ramshackle premises that draws drug users, rats, foxes and fly-tippers and is dominated by overgrown vegetation.

A section 215 (S215) notice was served on the owner of the property by Bromley Council in March last year, instructing them to cut back the plants, remove the dilapidating boundary fence, install external doors and windows, and remove all debris from the land.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) recently visited the site behind The Bromley Court Hotel and found that none of these orders appeared to have been carried out.

It also found evidence of drug use, fly-tipping, graffiti, vandalism and wild animals living in the building.

A Kirkstone Way resident who wished to remain anonymous said that the property had been “a constant worry” for 20 years and thought the value of her own house had decreased because of The Chalet.

She has even considered refusing to pay her council tax in response to the lack of action taken by Bromley Council, stating: “Why should we pay that to live next to a tip?”

Regarding the S215 order and the lack of action taken by the property owner, she added: “That date has come and gone, and they have got away with it again, which is what makes me cross.”

Another nearby resident said: “You can go in, and there is rotting stuff in there, but you can still see the basics of a house inside.

“At this stage, now the council should just at least get a couple of skips, tidy it all up and board it off nicely. If that is how it has to be left, then that is how it has to be left. It cannot be left as it is.”

Those living close to The Chalet have also claimed that their properties and cars have been broken into and burgled several times over the years, and they all believe that the derelict home attracts the perpetrators.

Plans to demolish the building and erect two new houses on the site were proposed twice in 2019 and 2020, but both were refused by Bromley planners.

Bromley councillor Graeme Casey said: “The state of The Chalet has been a running sore in my ward since long before I was elected. It is utterly frustrating to see what was once a beautiful house in a quiet part of the borough fall into such a state of disrepair.

“I struggle to see a time when it will be able to come back into use. [It is] such a shame and I feel for the neighbours who have had to put up with the situation for far too long.”

The Ravensbourne Valley Residents group has also been attempting to get Bromley Council to sort out The Chalet for some time.

A spokesperson added: “We have been pressing the council to do something about the terrible condition of this property for a decade at least. Finally, a S215 Untidy Site Notice was issued in March 2024 but was ignored.

“We are now pressing the council to take more action, which could include direct action, compulsory purchase or other measures. We are grateful to Cllr Casey (and previously former Cllr Harmer) for their support.”

The LDRS approached Bromley Council for comment on the current state of The Chalet and asked whether it would be pursuing further enforcement against the owner, or taking on the clean-up work itself and charging the owner the cost as set out in the S215 notice.

A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of this particular property and related resident concerns and have taken enforcement action already.

“Given the nature of the case and that ongoing legal matters are in progress, we are unable to comment further at this time.”