Councillor’s fury at builder for lack of progress
A Perth councillor has blasted the bosses of a major UK housebuilder after claiming some people who have bought their properties have been waiting years for the company to complete them.
Perth City South councillor Willie Wilson went on the attack after learning Perth and Kinross Council has had to take enforcement action against Persimmon Homes for failing to comply with six separate conditions attached to its consent to build close to 100 homes at Cherrybank.
Officers reckon roads and footpaths in the area have still not been finished to specification, the nearby Scouring Burn has not been satisfactorily cleared of impediments as agreed, additional landscaping and planting is required at the site and new traffic lights and bus stops need to be put in place on Necessity Brae and Glasgow Road.
Enforcement officers are watching what is happening at Cherrybank. Inset, Councillor Willie Wilson
Councillor Wilson has been pressing Persimmon Homes to complete the same outstanding work since late last year but rounded on the company this week claiming “virtually nothing” has happened in the time that has elapsed and several homebuyers were “extremely unhappy” with their new Perth properties.
He told the PA on Tuesday: “Officers of the council and myself met Persimmon Homes late last year to lay it on the line to them that we wanted progress in finishing off the work at Cherrybank.
“We agreed a programme of work with them which included landscaping, tree maintenance, clearing out the burn, maintaining the play area, finishing off the roads, footpaths and lighting and installing traffic lights in the Glasgow Road.
“Apart from some token tree work that was carried out earlier in the spring virtually nothing has happened during this period in time [and] despite assurances from Persimmon we have not made any progress at all.
“I know now that planning officers from the council have taken enforcement action upon the developer. I strongly support this course of action and hope it will yield a better result than our meeting.
“Local residents in both the Glasgow Road and Cherrybank area are fed up of the lack of progress.
“I get complaints almost on a weekly basis from purchasers of Persimmon Homes about the poor quality of finish and lack of follow-up work required to many homes.
“This is an absolute disgrace and the company should hang their heads in shame. The sign at the entrance says ‘Together, we make a home’ some owners of houses at Cherrybank feel that it is very far from the ideal situation and are extremely unhappy with the company.”
Reacting to those remarks Iain Innes, managing director at Persimmon Homes North Scotland, would only say: ”We have had a positive meeting with PKC regarding these outstanding conditions at Cherrybank and expect to resolve within the enforcement period.”