Unfinished Housing estates - the new Wild West

[Ian H]

It appears that until the roads are adopted the builders can pretty much do what they like. The new town near here is a good example.

 

[Psamathe]

It appears that until the roads are adopted the builders can pretty much do what they like. The new town near here is a good example.

The road adoption is another contentious issue. When the development is approved by planners the developer is meant to identify if they intend access roads to be adopted. I've seen Highways ask for confirmation on planning applications as if they are to be adopted then there are construction standards to be met. But building roads to an adequate standard costs the developer money which doesn't increase the value of any of the properties so they don't. But later residents (or the developer) try and push through adoption so they they are not landed with maintenance costs (ie the rest of us all pay maintenance forever which is higher than for properly built roads because of the cheap sub-standard construction because the developer wanted higher profits).

Ian

 

[mjr]

But building roads to an adequate standard costs the developer money which doesn't increase the value of any of the properties so they don't. But later residents (or the developer) try and push through adoption so they they are not landed with maintenance costs (ie the rest of us all pay maintenance forever which is higher than for properly built roads because of the cheap sub-standard construction because the developer wanted higher profits).

I know of a couple of examples like that in Norfolk. I think in at least one development, the county refused and sought enforcement of the standard highway condition ("Prior to the occupation of the penultimate dwelling within any phase of the development hereby permitted all works shall be carried out on roads (including provision of a top course), footways, cycleways, foul and surface water sewers in accordance with the final approved specification to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority, for that phase") and so the developer messed them around long enough that the Ltd company that built the estate ceased trading. (Possibly the developer was foreign-owned and set up subsidiary companies to build here, but I've not checked my memory.)

Then what do you do? Leave the new residents (voters, council tax payers) living on private roads they weren't expecting while they tell everyone how unfair and mean the council is, probably saying that it's because the councillors and officers didn't get the bribes they wanted (that sort of stuff is rife on facebook and nextdoor)?

Our development planning processes are pretty broken in some ways.

 

[Psamathe]

I know of a couple of examples like that in Norfolk. I think in at least one development, the county refused and sought enforcement of the standard highway condition ("Prior to the occupation of the penultimate dwelling within any phase of the development hereby permitted all works shall be carried out on roads (including provision of a top course), footways, cycleways, foul and surface water sewers in accordance with the final approved specification to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority, for that phase") and so the developer messed them around long enough that the Ltd company that built the estate ceased trading. (Possibly the developer was foreign-owned and set up subsidiary companies to build here, but I've not checked my memory.)

Then what do you do? Leave the new residents (voters, council tax payers) living on private roads they weren't expecting while they tell everyone how unfair and mean the council is, probably saying that it's because the councillors and officers didn't get the bribes they wanted (that sort of stuff is rife on facebook and nextdoor)?

Our development planning processes are pretty broken in some ways.

Case I mentioned near me where developers were required to build a public footpath at a trigger point, developers applied to Planners to "move" trigger point so they could sell more houses first. Then that trigger point was reached and they applied to move it again so they could sell more houses first - everybody knows it will never be built so I objected, Parish Council objected, even Norfolk Highways objected yet planners waived it through without any questions.

My current view is it's weakness in the planning departments that is much of the cause.

Ian

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

A builder started putting up around 50 flats on a vacant plot, a few hundred meters away from where I live, in 2019.

They still haven’t completed any and some aren’t even water tight yet. They come and do bits then disappear for months at a time.

 

[albion]

Builders only complete when compelled to by the council or their, must be paid, workmen have lots of idle time available.

 

[matticus]

Builders only complete when compelled to by the council or their, must be paid, workmen have lots of idle time available.

... and you buy the right biscuits.

 

[Psamathe]

Builders only complete when compelled to by the council or their, must be paid, workmen have lots of idle time available.

My local experience (so may differ from other areas) is that planners are totally ineffectual at imposing of compelling anything. One rural field where somebody build and lives there with no planning permission is still going on, they were forced to apply, refused, appealed, appeal dismissed 3 years ago and pursuing it with planning apparently the reason for no enforcement (after 3 years) is the resident has informed planning they intend to seek judicial review - which after 3 years one might guess is just a delaying tactic.

Planners allow people to run rings around them. These days it is widely recognised it's easier (and more likely to succeed) to ask forgiveness later than to seek permission before - so that's what most people seem to do and planners rarely actually seem to enforce anything.

Ian

 

[Drago]

That said, at the other end of the problem it's nice to see councils and planners cracking down on developers who've bought land upon which inconveniently placed buildings are demolished or mysteriously catch fire. I laugh my arse off when they're ordered to rebuild brick for brick.