A block of council flats named in memory of a young soldier who died in Afghanistan have been unveiled in Clifton. Tenants are set to move into the four-storey Kieron Hill Court, off Hamilton Court, "very shortly".
The block consists of 36 one-bedroom flats and are provided by Nottingham City Homes (NCH). Kieron Hill was a 20-year-old Clifton soldier who died in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2009.
At an official unveiling today (November 30), Kieron's parents, Daryl Mitchell and Vicki Holmes, spoke of their pride at seeing their son's name emblazoned on the side of the building. "If you ask any bereaved parent what is most important to them I'm sure most will say it's to keep their child's memory alive," said Mrs Holmes.
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"And what better way than to have Kieron's name on this lovely building. A couple of weeks ago I had a drive up to see how things were getting on - to see his name on the front of the building was amazing. I had the biggest smile, but also tears were running down my face."
Mr Mitchell added: "It's unbelievable that this complex is named after Kieron - we're so, so proud as a family." The idea to name the flats after Kieron came from Clifton Independent councillors during the early stages of its development.
Mrs Holmes continued: "I'd like to take the opportunity to thank Maria (Watson), Kevin (Clarke) and Kirsty (Jones) from the Clifton Independent party for putting Kieron's name forward. Thank you to NCH for agreeing to it and to the builders who I can see have done a fantastic job. I'm one very proud mum."
Toby Neal, portfolio holder for housing at Nottingham City Council, said all tenancies for the properties had been assigned to people who were on a waiting list. He said, due to the size of the flats, it would be mainly young couples who move in and maybe those with a baby.
“It’s always good to see a completed project. It’s great that it’s in recognition of Kieron," he said. “Housing is a pressing issue across the country but we have some very specific challenges in Nottingham. Providing properties, building properties, getting them on the market, getting tenants are very important.”
The properties are yet to be unfurnished, with NCH giving tenants the choice of flooring before they move in.
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