by, David Barnham
A message from our Chair.
We began 2021 with reasonable hopes that David Wilson Homes would soon be honouring the commitments they made to us last September, and finishing the outstanding works on the estate early this year. Sadly, it has already become apparent that, as so often before, all they have offered us is empty words, excuses and unfulfilled promises.
At the time of writing this update, the TRRA still has no firm idea as to when the various outstanding works are going to be addressed, and the promised surveys undertaken. Added to this is the matter of the annual charges payable to the estate management company ‘GreenSquare’ for the maintenance of the public open spaces (POS) on the estate. In their letter of 8 October 2020 to all residents, they stated that they will ‘assess the situation again in early 2021 with a view to how we progress next year.’ We have not yet had any indication as to if, or when, their assessment is to be carried out, but as things stand at present there has been no progress made with the landscaping works.
While GreenSquare themselves are not responsible for the landscaping works, until these are completed by DWH it seems that there can be no justification as yet for GreenSquare to begin collecting maintenance charges from residents. There is a ‘planting season’ for large projects such as Thurstan’s Rise, and as the end of it is rapidly approaching, it seems unlikely that this aspect of the work will be completed this year. Until it is, we believe that David Wilson Homes should continue to pay GreenSquare for whatever maintenance work is done in this regard.
In short, apart from the new drainage culvert in Cadora Way, replacement of a few of the drainage hatch covers which were reported as incorrectly installed or of an incorrect (pedestrian) specification, and the replacement of a few broken kerb stones, none of the other works agreed with DWH last September have been completed – or even in some cases, begun.
Committee member Simon Oldroyd, who has been undertaking the lion’s share of the negotiation with DWH and other bodies has now, with the agreement of the TRRA committee, submitted a full formal complaint to the Forest of Dean District Council, Planning Enforcement, regarding the failures by David Wilson Homes to comply with the various planning approvals granted to them by the Council.
The only way this can be described is as a mammoth piece of outstanding work, for which we are all hugely indebted to Simon. The Planning Enforcement department has acknowledged receipt of his report (designated as EN0041/21.) They have promised to update us when their initial investigation is complete.
Simon’s report is reproduced in the ‘Documents & Reports’ section of the website, (follow the link below) and is also available to download as a ‘PDF’ file. Although it draws on our previous report on the flooding issues, it includes several new photos to illustrate our concerns along with sections covering all other aspects of the outstanding issues. For ease of navigation, it contains clickable links (highlighted in green) to specific sections, and video links.
It goes without saying that we are obviously in for a long, hard struggle over these issues. David Wilson Homes has shown over the last five years that they have utter contempt for their customers as individuals, and they are now, it seems, attempting to treat the Thurstan’s Rise Residents’ Association in the same cavalier manner.
We believe however that there is indeed, strength in numbers. We are therefore, once again appealing to all those residents who have not yet joined the association, to show your support for what we are attempting to achieve, and PLEASE join us now.
David Barnham
TRRA Chair
Click to view Simon Oldroyd’s Report to Planning Enforcement