HOUSING campaigners occupying condemned homes replied to a judge’s eviction ruling yesterday by taking over a neighbouring house and setting up a social centre.

A hearing at Barnet county court ruled against the families who have lived at 60 Sweets Way for almost a month, granting property developer Annington Homes full possession of the space.

But residents and campaigners refused to buckle under the pressure and quickly moved their social centre to another property on the former Ministry of Defence estate.

A spokeswoman for the Sweets Way community told the Star that while they were “gutted” by the court order, they needed to act quickly.

“We are happy to continue our protest and highlight housing issues, not only here but all over London,” she said.

“We will focus on our wider campaign not only to stop Annington from destroying those buildings, but also on housing crisis social cleansing and on how those who are paid to help us are failing to do their jobs properly.”

The new social centre has been founded in a spacious five-bedroom house outside the court order’s injunction zone.

As previously reported by the Star, Sweets Way has been emptied in recent months to give way to new luxury houses.

Dozens of families were made homeless due to Barnet Homes’s alleged lack of housing stock.

Speaking prior to yesterday’s court hearing, campaigner Janette Evans said: “Nearly every child I’ve met from the Sweets Way estate has been living in temporary accommodation since they were born.

“Never knowing what is a secure home, never knowing when someone’s just going to send you a letter one morning — ‘that’s it, you’re off, you’re on the move again.’ It’s just not acceptable.

“And Barnet Council have built three council houses in the last 22 years — a 10 year-old could tell you that that’s ridiculous.”

After campaigners took possession of the new house on the estate, police were sent in to remove the families.

But they had to beat a retreat as occupiers told them they had no legal right to evict them until a court said so.

The original space at 60 Sweets Way is now empty and under bailiff control.