Amesbury man demands answers two years after Sandell Place fire
Ben Appleby has been living in temporary accommodation for around 18 months
Last updated 28th Jul 2025
An Amesbury man is demanding answers from a housing association supporting him, two years on from a fire that's left him living in temporary housing.
Ben Appleby was one of 13 people forced to move out of Sandell Place after a blaze at the block of flats in June 2023.
The fire broke out in a nearby bin store, with Police unable to prove it was arson with intent.
Ben has told Greatest Hits Radio of his continued struggles for answers from Stonewater Housing and of the ongoing impact it's having on him.
"Appalling" Communication
There appears to be no timeline for Ben's return, saying the latest information he's had is that residents will be back by September.
But he's doubtful about that time frame: "We've been told a few times that we will be back in a few months, and then nothing is said until we chase it up," Ben told us.
He described communication with Stonewater as "appealing", saying there have been several attempts to find out what the organisation would do to ensure the bin area was safe in the future.
"We've asked numerous times, 'what are you going to do?', 'What can you do to assure our safety? Can we have a meeting before we go back to make us feel a bit safer in your hands?' and it just goes on, ignored," he told us.
He's demanding that the housing association takes it's residents concerns more seriously.
"You're giving the bare minimum that you can get away with, it's not good enough," he said. "The safety of your residents is more important than the safety and reputation of your company. You're here to support us and it's not happening."
He said he felt he is fighting the same fight as two years ago, with no end goal in sight.
Panic attacks and sleepless nights
Ben says the battle with Stonewater and a year and a half of living in temporary accommodation has taken its toll on him.
He revealed to Greatest Hits Radio that he's been suffering with his mental health.
"Since being in the temporary accommodation and things claming down a bit, I've pretty much crashed," he said.
He told us it's a struggle to get himself out of the flat he's currently living in and enduring a lot of sleepless nights.
"Its the not knowing and not understanding what's being done," he said, saying that's having a greater toll on him than the fire did.
"My anxiety has been through the roof, I've experienced panic attacks to the point where my whole body, it feels like it's being electrocuted," he said.
He told us the experience has made him lose a bit of faith in humanity, although he said his friends and family have been very supportive of him.
But he added that contact with them has dwindled in recent months as he's been feeling "constantly overwhelmed and burnt out."
Stonewater expects early September return
Stonewater Housing said it understands the Sandell Place fire was a "very challenging time for everyone involved", insisting the safety of its customers was always the main priority.
Stonewater spokesperson, Alice Smith, Customer Experience Director, said: “We know this has been a difficult and upsetting period. The damage was extensive, which meant repairs took longer than we all hoped. While works were underway, we focused on providing safe and suitable temporary homes for all affected households.
“We expect the repairs to be finished by the end of summer, and all remaining customers should be able to move back into Sandell Place in early September. To help with the move, we've added extra support. This includes a dedicated contact person for regular updates, help with removals and referrals to other organisations for things like mental health support or grant applications.
“We're always happy to speak directly with any customers who have questions or worries. We truly value their feedback as it helps us improve how we support people through difficult times.”