Call for action over promised play area

Published on 15th March 2007 in News

A Goole town councillor has been driven to write to the local government ombudsman about the state of facilities on a local housing estate.

Cllr Kester Dean criticised the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) for not ensuring that the developers, Peter Ward Homes, bring the road and play area at St George's Green up to standard.

The ERYC will not adopt either the road or the play area until the company has done so.

Cllr Dean said: "This has rumbled on for years - the council sent a schedule of necessary remedial works to Ward Homes in October, 2005.

"Residents have been cheated out of a decent play area and properly completed highways.

"I have made it clear to the ombudsman that there has been unreasonable delay on the council's part in taking enforcement action.

"ERYC has held meeting after meeting and totally pointless 'information sessions'. That approach is not effective.

A spokesperson for Peter Ward Homes said: "It has been the responsibility of Peter Ward Homes to prepare the play area for adoption by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

"Following a meeting in October involving our construction director, the landscape contractor and the council's representative, it was agreed that certain work should be undertaken, including replacing damaged trees, removing stones and top dressing an area that had previously been repaired and some further landscaping.

"That work has been completed and we were informed that a planning officer from the council was due to carry out a further inspection of the site. The site is due to be adopted by the council later this year."

A spokesperson for the ERYC said: "We are in talks with Peter Ward Homes about any highways remedial works with a view to getting a speedy completion of those works."

He also said the money referred to was not a refund, but a reduction in the level of guarantee.

"The level of guarantee was recalculated and reduced because the developer has carried out much of the highways works necessary.

"The remaining liability figure is sufficient to guarantee any highways works are completed.

"This is part of the normal process during the course of a development."