Apology as play area left fenced off for over year
RESIDENTS COMPLAIN OF EXPOSED MANHOLES AND
BELLWAY Homes has apologised to residents of a new neighbourhood where the children’s playground has been fenced off for more than a year.
People living on the Steeple Chase development in Frisby on the Wreake, between Leicester and Melton, said they were despairing over the lack of action from the company.
However, following an inquiry from the Mercury, Bellway has issued an apology for the fact the area has been left uncompleted with exposed manholes and unfinished pavements adding to residents’ woes – and said the work would be finished this month.
Resident Louise Pietrzyk said: “The children’s play area is one of the only open spaces for residents and villagers to enjoy.
“This has been left to get overgrown and has been fenced off for over a year so no one can enjoy it.
“Open spaces in the current climate are so important to a small community.
“But it feels like builders pay lip service to these types of projects and can get away with leaving them unfinished with local councils being unaware.
“Our roads have safety barriers falling over, with deep holes in the pavements, cones everywhere and manholes left exposed which residents try to avoid but cars have been damaged.
“We’re disappointed in Bellway’s lack of effort to finish this site and we feel let down.”
She said there had been months of “mixed messages and false promises” from Bellway and she worried it was a growing trend for housebuilders to leave developments unfinished when they run into problems.
A spokesperson for Bellway said there had been delays and “knockon effect to some of the sequencing works” but that the work should all be completed by the end of this month.
They said: “Bellway is committed to ensuring all work is completed at the Steeple Chase development as promptly as possible.
“We understand the frustration this delay has caused to residents and all necessary action is being taken to complete the remaining work required at the development.
“Residents have been kept informed on the progress of work being carried out and further correspondence is due to be shared with residents this week to detail the final works planned for August.
“Bellway apologises for any inconvenience caused to residents in Frisby on the Wreake.”