According to one surveyor who has surveyed an Upper North Street house in the last year, bungaroosh is not the best building material and may be close to the worst! It has to be kept dry, otherwise it can dissolve and start to move causing structural failure. 

The problem this surveyor said with the vibration caused by heavy transport passing old Regency homes is that the structural movement can result in water ingress. It can also affect the water supply and sewerage pipes under the pavement and those supplying each of the houses. He said we should ask Brighton & Hove Council to do a pre-diversion condition survey of the houses in Upper North Street and Montpelier Terrace. The request for pre-diversion condition surveys was declined by Council officers. 

So supporters, not only should we take date stamped photographs of our walls before the diversion starts on 9 January, but we should also take date stamped photographs of our roof spaces showing they are dry before the division starts, inside any inspection hatches in our courtyards and paths leading to our homes to show that the pipes are sound, and around our water meters in the pavement for the same reason. 

Then our job is to check, check, check regularly our walls, roof spaces and pipes. At the very least, we should check the ceilings on our top floors to make sure there is no sign of water ingress.

We have made it clear to Council officers that we shall hold Brighton & Hove City Council responsible for any damage to our homes and the main services under the road. The response we received? "They have walked the road."