Home Farm Phase 2 adoption process – update on Taylor Wimpey’s roads and sewers

We wrote to Taylor Wimpey on the 4th April 2012 asking them to outline the adoption process for the roads that are under ownership, that is the already ‘finished’ part of Stevensons Road and Sheepwash Way.

Below is the response from Bryn Maidmen, Managing Director of Taylor Wimpey East Anglia…

As you are aware Barratt Homes have instructed Maypine Civil’s to carry out remedials on the “spine” road section of the Home Farm Development, which we understand is nearing completion.

Taylor Wimpey are currently awaiting confirmation of the Highways Agreement process from CCC for the spine road and once confirmed we will look to carry out the remedials within our control with a view to CCC adopting our sections of roads in tandem with the spine road.

With regards to the sewers, the Foul Water system was adopted by Anglian Water Authority in October 2011 under the new DEFRA regulations, however the Surface Water sewers outfall direct to a water course and therefore remain the responsibility of Taylor Wimpey / Barratt Homes and Deliottes, any remedials required to the Surface Water sewers by Anglian Water Authority will be carried out prior to Maypine Civils surfacing the spine road which I am told will be in approximately two weeks time.

I trust the above is satisfactory.

Yours sincerely

Bryn Maidmen
Managing Director
Taylor Wimpey East Anglia

Anglian Water Sevices Sewer Adoption Notice

The link below shows a copy of the Legal Notice issued by Anglian Water informing us of their intent to adopt private sewers.

Sewer Adoption

More information is available at www.anglianwater.co.uk/sewerswitchover

One consequence of the change is that from 2014 everyone’s bill will have to rise by a small amount.

 

Jan 2012 update on Adoption Issues

There has been no significant progress to report on the road adoption issues over the last 2-3 months.  Many Home Farm residents have made repeated attempts to contact Barratt Homes and Taylor Wimpey and in every case there has been no response from the developers.  Some residents have used their solicitors and are still awaiting a response promised  for earlyDec 2011.  As far as we know the situation remains unchanged from that reported back in June 2011.

One piece of good news which most residents should be aware of is that the sewers are now officially adopted by Anglian Water.  This came into effect on 1st October 2011, and all residents will have received a letter informing them of this change.  One would hope that this will make the process of road adoption more straightforward, in fact, the Persimmons area of Home Farm should now be ready for adoption by the Highways Authority.

The lack of progress has prompted fresh action by a number of residents and more details will be posted shortly on the photo shoot that was organised for 2nd January 2012 to generate wider support and prepare for combined action against the developers.

Latest Update from Barratt Homes on Road and Sewer Adoption

I have received an update today on the status of the Home Farm road and sewer adoption process that Barratt Homes and Taylor Wimpey have been investigating so that they can complete the necessary work to finish off Stevensons Road and Duddle Drive for final adoption by the Highways Authority.  Here is the letter from Claire Preece.

Thank you for your email dated 26th May and please accept my apologies for the delay in response as I have been away from my desk. Yesterday I spoke with our Technical Director, Mr Hadfield and am now able to advise the following:-

 We have made significant progress by agreeing the Adoption process for the roads and sewers with the Local Authority and Anglian Water respectively. I understand the roads and sewers have been fully inspected, and corresponding quotations for the necessary remedial works have been approved. At this point in time, responsibility for the remedial works still lies with the Administrators for Cofton and we are unable to proceed as we are not owners of the land. However, I am advised permission is being sought from the landowner and currently awaiting their response. As soon as permission is received, we can commence the remedial works and would envisage this will equate to approximately 3 weeks for the sewers and 4/5 weeks for the roads. I am also advised further updates will be posted on the Residents Association website.

 Once again, I apologise for the delay in my response and very much hope the works will commence very shortly.

 Kind regards,

 Claire Preece

 Customer Service Executive

Barratt Homes Northampton

(A trading name of BDW Trading Limited)

Claim back your charges from Cambridge Water

All the residents of Home Farm are eligible to claim back their Surface  Water Drainage charges from Cambridge Water and Anglian Water. Please tell all your neighbours and get them to claim too.

Step 1: Phone Cambridge Water Company to check whether you are being charged for Surface Water Drainage (if you are not being charged your bill should indicate ‘No SWD’ under the sewerage charges section).

Step 2: Upon getting confirmation by Cambridge Water Company, phone Anglian Water (number to contact is indicated at the back of your water bill) to ask for a refund on the basis that, since we are a new development, the surface water goes into a soakaway, not a drain. Anglian Water should immediately email Cambridge Water Company to let them know that the Surface Water Drainage charge is not applicable and you should be receiving an amended water bill from Cambridge Water Company.

Important Note: if you have been living at your property for more than 3 years and are claiming now, Anglian Water will only backdate the refund by a year (which represents about £35). If you are within the 3-year period however, they should backdate it in full. We are questioning if they are allowed by law to only back date it by one year.

Where Barratt Homes and Taylor Wimpey have got to so far

After a reminder from us here is the latest update from Mark Hadfield, Technical Director, Barratt Homes Northampton

Sorry for the delay in my latest update but much works has been complete at the site as follows and progress is being made daily:

Joint sewer inspections have now been completed with our consulting engineers and Anglian Water to determine the likely remedial worksrequired in order to bring the sewers within the site to an adoptablestandard. These remedial works have also been costed by our contractors.We have discovered through those inspections a defect that requiredfurther investigation located within the Taylor Wimpey part of the siteand I am awaiting confirmation from Tw that we are able to completeinvestigation works to determine the source of this defect.Once this work has been completed we will have our cost for the completion of remedial works in order to seek adoption of the sewers.

Similarly joint inspections have been completed on the roads within thesite and again remedial works have now been costed by our contractors.Again we have discovered an error with the vertical alignment of theroad and commissioned a topographical survey and consulting engineer tocomplete a proposal that meets Highway Authority requirements in orderto bring the roads to an adoptable standard. This design work willcomplete in Feb when we will be able to put a costs to the worksrequired to bring the roads to an adoptable standard.

Once we have these costs we will be able to approach the stakeholdersfor release of the monies currently held in order to fund these requiredworks, this submission is intended to be made in March. On satisfactoryagreement with the former Cofton stakeholders for release of the heldmonies then we should be in a position to complete the required worksand seek ultimate adoption of both the roads and the sewers within the site.

I hope this proves to be a suitable update, as you can see a lot of workhas progressed and whilst other investigation works are underway, wehope to have our submission made to the former Cofton Stakeholdersshortly. Clearly as landowners and fund holders we will need theirapproval before any final works can be completed.

If you wish to comment on this update then please either email Mark Hadfield directly mark.hadfield@barratthomes.co.uk or email us here at the forum and we’ll discuss it when we next meet or send it on to Mark Hadfield or Mark Edmonds at Taylor Wimpey.