Shoreham residents anger at unfinished estate (From The Argus)

Shoreham residents anger at unfinished estate

3:00pm Tuesday 18th August 2009 in

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Angry residents living in a plush housing development have demanded action to fix a series of problems with their estate.

Sussex Wharf, a development of 290 homes in Shoreham, has been hit with issue after issue since work finished on the site about three years ago.

The residents' association has written to Adur District Council outlining the problems locals have experienced.

They include unfinished roads, poor parking, access problems for emergency services, overflowing bins, faulty street and internal lighting, exposed cabling and unfinished drainage works.

In one instance a small child fell down a drain that was left open. The emergency services could not get to the boy because of access problems with the road.

When permission was granted for Sussex Wharf back in 2004, the developer promised to build two play areas, a doctors’ surgery and a pharmacist.

The plans included the construction of a block of offices.

However only one play area has been completed and the offices have been left unfinished.

Adur district councillors Liza McKinney and Robert Dunn and MP Tim Loughton have all been involved in discussions with developer Taylor Wimpey to sort the problems out.

Coun McKinney said: “When I walked around it I couldn't believe the things that hadn't been done.

“There was a hole, obviously a waste bit, where there was no lid and a child had fallen down it.

“The emergency crews then had to knock on doors to get people to move their cars because no parking markings had been laid out.”

Fiona Ferguson, the secretary of the Sussex Wharf Residents' Association, said: “There is someone from Taylor Wimpey coming here at the end of August for a site visit and we are going to look at the issues such as the communal lighting.

“We are hoping that through this site visit most of the issues will be resolved and this is all because of the pressure from the MP and the councillors.”

A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey said: “We are aware of the issues surrounding the unfinished roads at our Shoreham Harbour development and as a result we are currently working to get this resolved as soon as possible.”

Planning officers from Adur District Council are due to meet with Taylor Wimpey to discuss the missing offices, play area and surgery.