Around 50 residents of a new estate, which has been described as a ‘war zone’ due to ‘shoddy’ building and street works, hosted a public meeting in Blackburn.
Meadowbrook Rise has been at the centre of a dispute between homeowners and building contractors.
Homeowners paid between £140,000 to £250,000 for the new homes off Haslingden Road and opposite Blackburn Central High School. Residents said they had faced 'serious and ongoing' problems caused by the developer’s failure to meet basic obligations.
The homes were built by Heron Homes Limited and Southworth Construction Limited. Southworth Construction Limited dissolved on February 26.
A compulsory strike-off for Heron Homes Limited was suspended in June after an objection was received by the registrar. Both had the same director, Joe Hindle.
The houses on the estate were marketed by Walmer Homes Ltd of 14 Dalton Court, Commercial Road, Darwen, which is a different company with a different sole director, Peter Simon Finch. The company was dissolved in 2024.
Over the years, residents have made several complaints to the council over the standard of building works.
Blackburn Central councillor Terri Mahmood was joined by Sabir Esa, who has voluntarily taken up the cause of the residents.
The public meeting at Audley Sports Centre heard of the ongoing concerns, with people calling for the council to intervene.
One resident described the area as a ‘war zone’ with countless potholes. Streetlights were not working, and one woman revealed that when she flushed the downstairs toilet, water came up through the sink.
The meeting heard residents felt the local council 'should have taken more stringent tests on the homebuilder'. They also claimed the council allowed building work to continue even when the standard of work in the first phase was ‘well below standard’.
As the roads were ‘unadopted land’, the council would not fix the problems. And any measures to fix the issues would have to be paid for by the homeowners.
One resident said: “I have been in the property for three years - the drainage, the road, the darkness. All the outside is like a war zone.
“Honestly, if you look outside, you think you are in Beirut. I am not exaggerating.
“There is no lighting; it is always dark. I have to have the outside light on all night. You can’t see.
“We are contributing ourselves to get the potholes sorted.
“I drive up to Roman Road, and if you compare that estate to ours, I feel like crying.
“I bought mine for £250,000.”
Another resident said: “There is no access to the main road. We have to go through other people’s roads to go to the main road.”
Another man said: “We got a snagging list. We put it forward and said these are the things that are wrong.
“Somebody came round and had a look. They never came back.”
Other residents said they felt they had been sold the plots on false pretences.
One said: “When we looked at the designs, we thought they were quite spacious.
“When you looked at the brochure it was amazing.”
Cllr Mahmood said: “Their turnout shows the depth of frustration and the sense of injustice they feel.
“Many bought their homes in good faith, only to later discover that the developers had left without completing essential works.
“Residents have now been informed that the cost of bringing the road and drainage up to adoptable standard is estimated at £1.6 million. Understandably, they are shocked and angry.
"Families were sold a dream, yet left with problems that should never have been passed on to them.
“I have been involved in this issue for some time, and I will continue to stand with residents as they seek answers. I will be working constructively with council officers and relevant departments to ensure residents receive clear information and that their voices are heard at every stage.
“The people of Meadowbrook Rise should not be left carrying the burden of failures that were not theirs. Their concerns are legitimate, their frustration is justified, and I will continue working with them until a path forward is found.”
Last year, the council did take enforcement action against Heron Homes Limited and Southworth Construction Limited, in their absence, for the offence of failing to comply with a breach of planning condition notice.
Heron Homes Limited and Southworth Construction Limited - both of 12 Dalton Court, Commercial Road, Darwen - were ordered to pay £1,399 by Blackburn Magistrates' Court.
In May, Heron Homes Ltd was fined £24,629, the highest financial penalty ever secured by the authority’s Environmental Crime Team, for the large amount of waste at the development.
Blackburn with Darwen Council said the local authority had 'not given up and continues to take action wherever we are able to do so'.
A spokesperson for Blackburn with Darwen Council said: “I would like to stress that at no point have the residents living at Meadowbrook Rise been abandoned by the council.
“We have met with residents and explained that, as a local authority, our powers in this instance are incredibly limited given it is a private development.
“However, we have absolutely not given up and continue to take action wherever we are able to do so, also taking independent legal advice to ensure we are doing everything we possibly can.
“Since the development started in 2018, the Council has taken a number of enforcement actions. This has included serving Breach of Condition Notices relating to drainage details, boundary treatments, retaining structures and the remediation of contaminated land.
“A Temporary Stop Notice was also served in relation to unauthorised raised platforms constructed on several plots. These have since been removed and the matter dealt with.
“The council also progressed a prosecution relating to fly-tipping, which was successful and resulted in an unprecedented fine.
“In addition, after the developer confirmed that they intended to maintain the internal roads as private roads, rather than having them adopted by the Council, we have highlighted this through local searches. This has helped ensure that conveyancers and prospective buyers were aware of the position during the house-purchase process."
The council insisted that it took concerns raised by residents at Meadowbrook Rise 'very seriously'.
The statement added: “Residents have also been advised by the council about their options for improving their streets, and quotes have been provided on request for works which would need to be funded by residents under the Private Street Works Code.
“Significant council resources have been committed in pursuing legal action against the developer. This includes an injunction being sought in relation to non-compliance with planning conditions, with the hearing currently listed for Friday, October 2 at Manchester Civil Justice Centre.
“The council also understands that the Environment Agency is investigating this issue, while any health and safety concerns have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
“We take the concerns raised by residents at Meadowbrook Rise very seriously and will continue to act on issues wherever they fall within the Council’s powers.
“As we have advised previously, homeowners should also consider what options may be available to them, including approaching their conveyancing solicitors, warranty provider or insurance company, or exploring whether collective action may be appropriate.”
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