Residents living near the former Greggs Bakery site in Twickenham have raised serious health concerns over the ongoing demolition work at the new London Square development.

The project, which will eventually see 116 new homes built next to the River Crane, has prompted complaints from neighbours on Gould, Crane, Norcutt, Edwin and May Roads, many of whom are worried about the level of dust and disruption being caused.

Locals say the red dust coats cars, homes and laundry hung outside (credit: Image supplied).

Maria Seale, who coordinates the Crane Road Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, said she ended up at Kingston Hospital after experiencing a severe eye reaction that left her unable to see clearly for four days.

"I've suffered, lots of people have suffered," she told Twickenham Nub News. "It's hit home to me how dangerous that dust is – my eyes were streaming, I couldn't work, I had to cancel meetings, even my birthday."

While she acknowledges that London Square occasionally sprays the dust in parts of the site or construction vehicle wheels, she believes it's "just for the cameras" and not consistently.

Lisa Woodward, a local resident, added: "The dust has been extreme. My 17-year-old son has started using his asthma inhaler again for the first time in years.

"This is a residential area full of families – and now we're being told parking spaces could be lost to accommodate construction traffic.

Residents are particularly concerned about silica – a substance naturally found in brick, which becomes dangerous when turned to fine dust.

Maria Seale had to cancel work meetings and her own birthday party due to an eye infection caused by the dust (credit: Image supplied).

According to the Health and Safety Executive, respirable crystalline silica (RCS) can cause silicosis, lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses.

One resident said: "My son sat in the garden for 30 minutes and had to come back in coughing. The dust is still caking everything outside despite the recent rain."

Seale also voiced frustration over the lack of communication from London Square.

"There's a designated email address, but responses are rare unless I copy in half a dozen people. One-on-one emails are ignored," she explained.

The view of the dust pile from a neighbour's home on 2 April (credit: Image supplied).

Another resident explained: "I have asthma and I'm using the highest dose available on my inhaler.

"The work is happening right next to my home is worrying . Over the past few days, I've had inflammation and was prescribed anti-inflammatory tablets by my GP on Friday after my ear swallon I'm not sure if this is directly related to the dust from the work, but the timing seems like more than just a coincidence and this is the first time i experience it— my symptoms started shortly after the work began.

"I've also been feeling tightness in my chest, so I'll check in with my GP again to be on the safe side."

Residents are also calling for an end to construction vehicles using small residential roads as cut-throughs (credit: Image supplied).

Anna Davies, who lives on Gould Road, described the conditions as "chaos".

"It's unbearable. You step outside and you can taste the dust. My son's hoodie had to be shaken out – it was full of it."

She added: "The lack of transparency is maddening. We ask when a dust-heavy stockpile will be removed and get different answers every time – a few days, then a couple of weeks. So what is it?"

On 20 April, the dust pile from the site was seen partially covered, months after demolition began, according to residents (credit: Image supplied).

Another local, Fiona, said: "We've had an incredible amount of dust and noise. People on the odd side of Norcutt Road and the other side of Crane Road are particularly badly affected.

"You can't open windows or work from home comfortably. Everything in the garden is covered in thick red brick dust."

She urged the developers to improve their health and safety approach: "They're clearly not taking this seriously. They're operating at the bare minimum, and it's not enough."

Residents want more serious health and safety measures from London Square (credit: Image supplied).

South Twickenham Ward Councillor Richard Bennett said: "The London Square project is a high-density development in an area of already high-density housing.

"Problems were foreseeable that were going to require attentive management and interventions.

"Mountains of dust from demolition were produced during very dry weather and strong winds. The health of residents in the surrounding roads was seriously impacted.

"When spraying was not sufficiently effective, covering the dust mountains should have been an option.

"Stopping the grinding and production of dust for a few days an even better option. Neither of these happened.

"New issues are already evident. My aim is to improve communication and help to coordinate it.

"I want there to be no doubt that Councillors and Council Officers are supporting and protecting the interests of residents.

"I also want London Square to shine as a flexible and considerate developer. This is essential to endure what still lies ahead."

London Square has been approached for comment.

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