Developers accused of refusing to meet with councillors over residents' concerns

Developers Vistry and Redrow stand accused by two prominent Swindon councillors of failing residents.

Cllr Jake Chandler, Swindon Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and councillors for St Andrews East, got in touch with The Ink’s sister publication, Swindon Link and told of the problems he and fellow St Andrews East councillor Kate Tomlinson had experienced in dealing with the companies.

He described those problems as a scandal.

The developers, meanwhile, reject the criticisms.

Abbey Farm is a development of approximately 350 homes in North Eastern Swindon.
Cllr Chandler said: “I have represented the development since 2022, shortly after building works on the estate were completed. Despite being completed, many extant issues remain at Abbey Farm, from roads, to public open spaces and flood maintenance features.

“The cost of rectifying incomplete developer obligated works in Abbey Farm is estimated at approximately £170k, which if not resolved will be leveraged onto existing residents.

“To our most recent representations on behalf of residents, developers are now adopting the position of blanket refusing to meet with councillors over these issues - a first in my time representing this and several other new estates.

“I truly believe developers must come to the table now and resolve the issues resident are concerned with before this gets any worse.”

Cllr Chandler said that councillors for St Andrews Ward - now known as St Andrews East Ward - had been in touch with Vistry, formerly Linden Homes, and Redrow since at least 2021 regarding outstanding or poor works on Abbey Farm.

He added: “Residents paying fees to the development’s chosen managing agent, Gateway, will see costs extended for some of these remedial works.

“Residents who are in dispute with developers and are withholding payments to Gateway have been threatened with legal action, as made in a letter to all residents of Abbey Farm last year.

“Last year Swindon Borough Council’s Planning Committee accepted an application from the developers at Abbey Farm to accept remedial works to the originally agreed planning permissions. In principle, this means there is nothing now preventing the movement towards residents gaining control over their management arrangements for the estate.

“This is currently being prevented, and repeated attempts by us to get answers from the managing directors of the Abbey Farm management company have been refused.”

Cllr Chandler quoted an email from Cllr Tomlinson to Vistry’s Regional Managing Director earlier this week: “The ‘agreed plan’ which residents have not long had sight of, raises several concerns.

“As has been raised multiple times, there are several issues with the Abbey Farm Estate which need to be rectified first before it is handed over to residents.

“These include long-standing issues which both Vistry & Redrow have failed to address (due to a lack of engagement) and which should have been dealt with before residents were charged for the maintenance of the estate.

“A reminder again, residents have been paying Gateway fees (which continue to increase despite a poor service) without an Open Spaces Certificate being issued by the council, something stated in the TP1 agreement [an important land regulation] as a requisite for residents paying for maintenance.

“We have already had initial discussions with Cllr Vallender (cc’d) [Cllr Matthew Vallender represents South Marston and is the council’s new Cabinet Member for Culture, Planning and Regeneration].

“We all serve on Swindon Borough Council’s new council Cabinet and each one of us was elected on a promise to residents of delivering more fairness and transparency when it comes to new developments and management companies (particularly where they have been deployed too early and residents have had to pay for outstanding issues).

“I ask again, that you meet with us in good faith, to try and resolve these issues now, before proceeding with any handover.”

Cllr Chandler also quoted a response from Vistry’s Regional Director: “At this stage, there is no need to arrange a meeting. We are continuing to progress matters in line with the agreed plan.”

Cllr Chandler wrote to Vistry and Redrow: “I have to express that I am incredibly surprised at the approach being taken.

“Firstly, Cllr Tomlinson and I do appreciate efforts to rectify the issues highlighted. The extant issues we find ourselves representing residents on in relation to Abbey Farm, reflect widely held, serious concerns that we expect to be able to be briefed on in the interests of residents.

“Having met with Vistry and Redrow representatives throughout the planning and execution of this development since being first elected, this is only occasion there has been a refusal to meet us and discuss issues. Engaging with us is essential to how we communicate with residents as to how problems are being tackled in their areas.

“Those residents who have reached out to us, attended public meetings, and even the media who have asked for comment from us in the last few days expect elected representatives to be working constructively to hold works to account.

“I would strongly advise a reconsideration of the refusal to meet Abbey Farm’s councillors.”

In March, following a meeting at which residents aired concerns, Cllrs Tomlinson, Chandler and Daniel Adams, sent a letter to the management company which also bore the signatures of many residents.

It said in part: “Over recent years, service charges have increased significantly, and many residents feel that the justification for these increases has not been clearly communicated, nor have we been provided with sufficient breakdowns of costs, copies of contracts, or details of competitive tendering for services.”

The letter added: “Residents are increasingly concerned that we have no meaningful input into decisions affecting our estate, despite bearing the financial burden.

“We would also welcome a constructive meeting to discuss how greater transparency and resident involvement can be achieved.”

The Ink asked the developers to comment on the assertions made by Cllrs Chandler and Tomlinson.

A spokesperson first insisted that there were a number of inaccuracies in those assertions, although no indication was given as to what those inaccuracies were.

The spokesperson added: “We have engaged with all stakeholders and will continue to do so when we have more plans to share.”