Residents' despair at house builder's delays
Residents of a new housing estate have almost "given up" getting a play area opened and stopping inconsiderate parking on their streets after a near two-year battle.
The Diss Express reported problems with the Persimmon Homes estate at Ensign Way, Diss, last summer and action was promised by the developer.
But a pristine play area has been fenced off since June 2008, while estate residents are still suffering ADVERTISEMENTwith rail users parking on roads, especially Nelson Road, to avoid station parking fees.
The problems are caused by issues over adoption of those services by local authorities.
Mum-of-three Tracey Skipp, of Ensign Way, said seeing the unused play equipment was "torture" for her young children.
She said: "We got told once the estate was finished the park would be opened."
In 2008 she even set up a petition to get it open, and since then has been phoning Persimmon monthly to check progress.
"I have basically given up on it," she said.
"I've left message after message and just get pushed around. One of the reasons we moved here is because the play area is so close. "
Helen Bicknell, of Viscount Close, said she has regularly phoned the council, police and Persimmon about problem parkers.
She said: "It hasn't improved - it has got worse. At the weekend it is fine but from 6am on Monday to 8pm on Friday there are cars parked all along Nelson Road and Ensign Way.
"There are lots of children out and about and they should be able to enjoy what should be a quiet residential street."
Diss Town Council planning committee chairman Simon Olander said it was important there were no problems with the new Persimmon estate to be built off Victoria Road at the former Bartrum's depot.
He said: "There are a lot of developments coming on stream; at the Bartrum's site, and Denmark Lane and we have another one off Mission Road coming up. It is a case for us as a town council to try to press that what is decided with planning permission should be stuck to."
The park at Ensign Way will only be opened once South Norfolk Council adopts it, but the council said it needs to be in a fit state, and claims there are drainage problems.
The roads are yet to be adopted by Norfolk County Council.
Spokesman John Birchall said that people were parking on private land. He added: "The county council does not have any duty or right to impose anything on roads that are not part of the public highway."
Simon Wood, technical manager for Persimmon Homes said they were working to get the roads adopted and wanted parking measures to follow.
He added: "We have done everything possible to resolve this issue and we are hopeful that matters will be drawn to a close soon."
He said the adoption of the playground was "a matter of priority" and anticipated it would open later in the spring.
http://www.dissexpress.co.uk/news/Residents39-despair-at-house-builder39s.6147377.jp