THE developer behind a half-built flat-pack home development which has been put on hold for months on end has been urged to get back to work and fix the “eyesore”.
In June last year, the Guinness Partnership confirmed that work on the 131 half-pack homes in Fossetts Way had “paused” after its building partner, Ilke Homes, plunged into administration.
No work has taken place since and the site has become a “ghost housing estate” consisting of half-built homes surrounded by scaffolding.
In January, Guinness told the Echo that construction would resume in “early summer and in the meantime, the homes have been protected from adverse weather conditions”.
However, with August looming and no sign of construction starting, concerns have been raised.
Martin Berry, Labour councillor for St Luke’s Ward, said: “The Guinness Trust has been asked to keep working with the council to give us updates. All they’ve said so far, and it hasn’t moved for months, is they are trying to negotiate for a development partner.
“The sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. The trouble with development companies is that they get too greedy. It’s not that they won’t make enough money out of it, they won’t make as much as they’d like but they’d still make a healthy profit.”
Mr Berry added: “We want it done as soon as possible and I hope the Guinness Partnership gets on with it.”
David Garston, former councillor responsible for housing and planning, echoed the frustrations.
He said: “These things can be notoriously slow. Look how long it’s taken for anything to happen at sites like the Old Vienna. They do take an awful long time to get their act together.
“It’s not good. When we give permission, very often once it leaves the council you are in the hands of the other partner. We can push but we can’t force and that’s the trouble. Once permission has been given and deals have been I’d like to see things happen.”
The Guinness Partnership was asked to comment.
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