Brand new £300,000 homes in estate are lying empty after row between council and developers

Brand new £300,000 homes in estate are lying empty after row between council and developers means families are banned from moving in until access road is finished

  • Developers are building 500 homes on land on the outskirts of Droitwich, Worcs
  • 188 homes are finished and the council allowed some residents to move in
  • But then they banned any more because an access road was unfinished 

Owners of brand new £300,000 homes cannot move into their properties after a bizarre legal ruling arising from a council dispute.

A bitter row over an access road means family homes, some of which have already been bought, are still unoccupied until the issue is resolved.

People already living on the Yew Tree Hill estate say the delay has meant some would-be residents have been consigned to living with their parents rather than in the new houses, range from £200,000 to more than £300,000.

Developers Persimmon and Redrow are jointly building 500 properties on land on the outskirts of Droitwich, Worcs.

A 500-home development is being built on the outskirts of Droitwich in Worcestershire

Planners initially agreed for 188 finished properties to be occupied before an access road on the A38 leading to the estate was completed

Planners initially agreed for 188 finished properties to be occupied before an access road on the A38 leading to the estate was completed

But after this number was reached, the council became concerned the roadworks were not on track to be completed, so it took the developers to court

But after this number was reached, the council became concerned the roadworks were not on track to be completed, so it took the developers to court

The dispute between the developers and Wychavon District Council erupted last February.

Planners initially agreed for 188 finished properties to be occupied before an access road on the A38 leading to the estate was completed.

But after this number was reached, the council became concerned the roadworks were not on track to be finished properly so it took the developers to court.

The council secured an injunction banning any more people moving into the properties until the access road was widened.

As a result, residents on the estate say no new homes have been built for months while the completed properties are standing empty.

This unfinished access road is at the heart of the legal dispute between the council and the developers, with residents losing out

This unfinished access road is at the heart of the legal dispute between the council and the developers, with residents losing out

One resident said: 'I do feel sorry for people who have put down deposits but can't move in'

One resident said: ‘I do feel sorry for people who have put down deposits but can’t move in’

Retired police officer Mark Naylor, 52, who moved into one of the first homes with wife Dawn, 51, in December 2017, said: ‘I believe the developers have sealed off the completed houses and they aren’t building anymore but some are still for sale.

‘I do feel sorry for people who have put down deposits but can’t move in.

‘Some of them, I know, have had to move in with their parents, having already sold their previous home. They have nowhere else to live.

‘There are around 20 or so houses which have either been finished or reserved which are lying empty.

‘Persimmon are happy for the residents to just soldier on.’

Residents on the finished side of the new development said they knew of some people who had had to move in with their parents while waiting to move in to their home

Residents on the finished side of the new development said they knew of some people who had had to move in with their parents while waiting to move in to their home

Another resident living in the finished side of the development added: ‘These homes are brand new and families are waiting to move in.

‘It’s not right. The developers aren’t interested and the people who already live here and those waiting to move in have been hung out to dry.

‘The developers are digging their heels in over the access road and the council won’t budge. It’s a stalemate with the residents stuck in the middle.’

Cllr Richard Morris, who represents Droitwich South East on Wychavon District Council, said: ‘This development is still an issue of significant concern for residents.

‘It remains vitally important that infrastructure is put in place at the right time to support the occupation of built homes.’

A spokesperson for Persimmon said: ‘We remain committed to building a development of new homes.’

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