Children have missed two summers of play at unopened facilities on new housing estate
Playtime has still not started at a park on a new Eccleshall housing estate – despite facilities being in place for 18 months.
Children living at Sancerre Grange, off Stafford Road, have missed two summers of play at the park built for them as part of the Bovis Homes development, borough and county councillor Jeremy Pert has said.
He has contacted the developer to find out when the play area will open on a number of occasions, he said – but still has no answers.
And he has been contacted regularly by families asking when their children will be able to play there – while other youngsters who could have enjoyed the facilities have now outgrown them.
Councillor Pert said: “I see no reason why this play area should not be opened. There is play equipment and all sorts of things there, but families can’t benefit from something they pay for.
“The play area was part of a planning obligation and was required to be built after 25 per cent of the estate was built. We’re now to a point where 80 per cent or more of the estate has been built.
“The play area has been built for 18 months – that’s two summer holidays. Despite assurances and promises from Bovis it’s still not opened.”
Earlier this year he highlighted the still-closed play area when Bovis Homes sought permission to add 10 more homes to the development. Stafford Borough Council’s planning committee went on to approve the additional plots.
A statement from Councillor Pert read out at the April meeting said: “If the planning committee are minded to approve the application I would like to see this play area incorporated (in a planning condition) otherwise the people of Eccleshall will have to wait a second summer watching the facilities that have been developed for them through a fence.”
A spokesman for Bovis Homes said: “We understand the frustrations of our customers and neighbouring residents and apologise for this.
“We have been carrying out final works to the area over the last few months and hope to receive sign-off from our external inspector soon to confirm that the area can be opened to the public.”
