Inconsiderate Barratt Homes

Barratt have not even completed the first house on the estate the are working on at Newbiggin by the Sea in Northumberland but already have the residents of the only access road up in arms.

Somehow they were granted planning permission to build 44 houses on a small plot of land just behind the Front Street, it is surrounded on all 4 sides by houses, there is no viable access as the obvious access is owned by somebody who is determined not to sell it.

I am trying to highlight the problems of the residents who are trying to exist while Barratts do their worst.

A letter was placed through our front door saying building sites are dangerous for children and support us in keeping them from entering, disruption will be encountered and the road to Manor View is difficult for delivery wagons to gain access your assistance will be appreciated.

This letter should read keep out of the way Barratts are here at whatever cost to you, your lives will have to revolve around what we want. It is a requirement of planning permission that wheel washing facilities be provided on site, I have been on to the council who eventually agreed in November that mud had been a problem but had now been rectified by more regular road cleaning. The road sweeper does come round at least once towards the end of their shift but this does not remove the heavy mud caked onto the road nor does it do anything for the pavements which are covered in several inches of mud where the wagons drive over, nor does it do anything for the places where the sweeper cannot get because they have wagons parked. The sweeper would come round, and leave the roads wet then we had a couple of frosts which meant that the roads were dangerous for people like myself who have problems walking the woman at the council told me that as the Christmas holiday was coming up we would have two weeks without them. I had to contact the council again after Christmas about the state of the roads and a man from Highways said it was not too bad after all there was a lot of work to be done and a lot of vehicles need access, WHAT ABOUT THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE TRYING TO EXIST THROUGH IT ALL? A young mother cannot always get her pushchair out because the workmen insist on having their cars right outside the site which of course means residents cannot park their cars, there is a good empty car park not two minutes walk away and I told the site foreman but he said he would ask if some men could park elsewhere but nothing has changed.

I have written to Barratt head office at the same time as I wrote to the council, they have not even had the good manners to acknowledge it never mind reply, unfortunatly I did not keep a copy as it was hand written.