Unfinished Housing estates - the new Wild West

[matticus]

(I am in a really angry mood after multiple terrible driving moments since 5pm yesterday, so I won't go into detail here, but anyway: )

We have a large new estate still in progress on the edge of town. Hundreds of people already live there, but it's still - literally - a building site.

No-one seems to care about the number and level of risks the builders create. The cyclepaths are blocked most days - but in an erratic pattern. Mud all over the roads and pavements. Speed limits utterly confused by conflicting signs. Drivers rat-running to avoid the main road just choose their speed based on convenience. Very poor lighting at hazards - well actually none at the location I've complained about!

... and it's been like this for years. They're only half done!

 

[Drago]

I live on the edge of such a place, the last road overlooking the countryside (for now!)

Fortunately the builders are very conscientious as regards houses that are occupied. I'm quite chatty with the site manager and he simply won't continue to hire anyone that brings a complaint to his door. He says they'll be building for another half a decade yet so he doesnt want to cause grief for residents and risk earning a bad rep that might affect future sales.

 

[ianrauk]

I feel for you.
In 2017/2018 I lived in a place called Barming which is near Maidstone. The 9 months I was there they were building over 3000 homes on one of the main roads into and out of the town. The road only being 2 lanes. It was also shared with a train station, trading estate and a very busy quarry.
2024 they are still building.

 

[mjr]

The county-level council is responsible for planned management of construction traffic, including closures and diversions of cycleways. WriteToThem.com

 

[fossyant]

Big estates are a nightmare, but even small ones. Took our builder ages to finish our tiny 12 house estate. Lived on a building site for 6 months.

 

[Psamathe]

No idea about the case OP raises but sometimes the developer have planning obligations under trigger clauses eg to build a pavement for public access road and the requirement might trigger once a threshold number of buildings have been sold or extra works need to be completed before eg plots 10-25 are sold/occupied. The way smaller/medium developers fund some developments is to build a few plots, sell them and the money from those salesa funds building the next few plots, etc. But when the extra costs of additional works is triggered they suddenly realise they've messed-up and don't have or don't want to spend the money. Often next step is to apply to Planning for an extension of the additional requirements and this can take an age (and often planners allow it tas often they'll bend over backwards to accomodate developer maximum profits).

Same can happen with affordable housing. Developer decides it wants higher profits and affordable housing isn't profitable so they apply to planners to be allowed to sell the affordable housing at full market rates rather than as affordable. Result higher profits for developers and community doesn't get the affordable housing it desperately needs.

In case of OPs site a check on the online planning system should highlight and developer applications in relation to the estate.

Ian

 

[dicko]

I put a £5 deposit on a new build two bed home in May 1972 the keys handed over on completion and we were married and moved straight in on 13th January ‘73. We lived on the building site and helped ourselves to anything lying around with permission from the site foreman. We loved it and as our home cost £3400 we put up with all the inconvenience. Living on the building site had the advantage of if we found a snag it was put right straight away.

 

[matticus]

I put a £5 deposit on a new build two bed home in May 1972 the keys handed over on completion and we were married and moved straight in on 13th January ‘73. We lived on the building site and helped ourselves to anything lying around with permission from the site foreman. We loved it and as our home cost £3400 we put up with all the inconvenience. Living on the building site had the advantage of if we found a snag it was put right straight away.

Aww, a lovely happy ending! Perhaps I should close the thread there?!? x

 

[Drago]

Living on the building site had the advantage of if we found a snag it was put right straight away.

Indeed, it does have its upsides.

Because I'm out and about on foot a lot I often see the site manager and he always stops for a chat.

My front garden is fairly small but it had some borders and beds with that tree bark stuff in it. He asked how I was doing with the house and I mentioned that I was thinking of digging out the borders and turfing them.

Two days later there's a knock at my door and some burly salt of the earth workman types were there. They said the site manager had sent them to dig out my borders and beds and put down some turf. While they were there I saw to it they each had a cup of tea and a few digestives each, and the next day I took a box of biscuits to the site office to say thank you.

We've had precious little snagging but the boys the site manager sends round are unfailingly polite and courteous. I like to think it because I was careful when I bought, but I have landed on my feet with it.

 

[matticus]

Corruption!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Drago]

Well, as a parish councillor it's only biscuits and turf. I've a long way to go before any bugger pays to clothe me.

 

[Fergs]

Well, as a parish councillor it's only biscuits and turf. I've a long way to go before any bugger pays to clothe me.

[reads multiple cycle chat threads]
Er… but what would you do with a second pair of y fronts?

 

[Drago]

A good pair of used Y fronts would be worth a wedding cake at least.

 

[oldwheels]

Some time ago a local builder put up some very affordable housing as a service to the community. He did not think to put any legal restriction on who actually bought these houses so some fly characters came and bought 4 of them each for holiday letting.
Much local anger but they were not concerned. The situation has now been sorted at additional cost to the new buyers and a nice profit for the crooks.

 

[Beebo]

The local council often won’t adopt these new estates either, so verges and green areas fall into disrepair after a few years.