An 83-year-old Balnagask homeowner and army veteran, whose house is to be demolished due to Raac, has spoken of his sadness at the prospect of “losing everything”.
Widower Charlie Walker served as a corporal in the Royal Scots Greys, later the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. After nine years in the forces, completing tours in North Africa, Cyprus, Germany, and Northern Ireland, he returned to Aberdeen.
Speaking from the Pentland Crescent ‘hen house’ he and late wife Mary shared for more than 40 years, Charlie says he bought his home from the council under the Right-to-Buy scheme.
“I don’t really have the words to express how I’m feeling,” said dad-of-two Charlie. “I’m just so disappointed that after a lifetime of working, and serving my country, that my final days are being spent worrying about what’s going to happen to me.”
‘Uncertain future is all I think about,” says ex-soldier Charlie
Like hundreds of households in Torry, Charlie was informed late last year that Raac – an aerated form of concrete liable to crumbling –Â could be present in his ex-local authority home.
Then, at the beginning of 2024, Aberdeen City Council affirmed its belief that Raac was indeed used in the Balnagask ‘hen houses’. As such, Charlie’s was among 504 properties more recently earmarked for demolition due to safety concerns.
But while 366 families residing in local authority-owned housing stock are now in the lengthy process of being rehomed elsewhere, the homeowners of 138 private houses face a much more uncertain future.
“It’s really the only thing I think about these days,” said Charlie. “If I’m honest it’s turned this soldier into a blubbering civilian. It’s no’ like me at all.”
‘Angry and frustrated by it all’
Charlie described the situation as an “agonising limbo”. Aberdeen City Council announced plans in August to “buy back” private homes on a voluntary basis. However, valuations will be based on the current market value of homes with knowledge of Raac, and not, as owners hoped, their pre-Raac worth.
“It’s devastating,” said Charlie, who helped run the old “model lodging house” on East North Street, before a career in social work. “I feel angry about it. I worked hard all my life, and so did my Mary. She was so kind, and spent her life looking after people.
“The house is our estate. It’s what we would have left to our children. What a blow to now be on the brink of losing it all. I’m already sitting here without Mary, and now the house where we raised our son and daughter, that we spent all our earnings on, is going to be taken from us.”
‘We really need someone to help us,’ said 71-year-old Alex
Facing onto a row of privately-owned homes, Charlie’s neighbours are in the same situation.
All mortgage-free, they could be forced to abandon their houses, returning to renting for their retirement.
Bill and Alex Crooks live two doors down from Charlie. Just last year they spent thousands renovating their bathroom.
“We just feel sick about it,” said retired retail worker Alex, 71, standing in front of her modernised kitchen. “Imagine going back to paying rent at our age, well, we couldn’t.
“I really think somebody needs to step in and help.”
‘Not surprised people are feeling low, we all are’
Aided by the Torry Community Raac Campaign, the Balnagask community – both council tenants and private homeowners – are supporting one another.
Avril Ewen, another neighbour of Charlie’s, fears for the mental health of those waiting for definitive “next steps.”
“Honestly, we are all dropping in on one another. Charlie told me he can get very down at the moment, and I’m not surprised. We all feel like that.
“My husband was about to retire, that can’t happen now. I do worry how this is affecting people like Charlie, home on his own behind closed doors.”
‘I think I deserve compassion,’ added Charlie
For now, great-grandad Charlie is keeping himself busy.
“My daughter comes in to see me a fair bit. But I’m still an army man… I have plenty to keep me busy.
“If I could say one more thing it would just be that I think after everything, after working and serving queen and country, that I’d like proper answers. And some compassion.
“I never thought the end of my life would be in a situation such as this one.”
On announcing plans to demolish Balnagask homes due to Raac, Aberdeen City councillor Miranda Radley, convener of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee, said: “This is one of the hardest decisions the council has taken. We recognise the impact this will have on residents, many having lived in their home for many years.
“The absolute priority has to be their safety. The welfare of people is what matters most, and we will continue to offer individuals and families one-to-one support while meeting their housing needs as far as possible from existing stock.”
- The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards confirmed Charlie’s service, and appealed to veterans, including Mr Walker, to reach out to organisations such as Veteran’s Housing Scotland, Scottish Veterans Residence and SSAFA for additional support.
- Details for Aberdeen mental health services and wellbeing support can be found here.
Conversation