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

Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes meeting with the Home Farm Forum

Here are the notes from our meeting with Mark Edmonds, Technical Director of Taylor Wimpey and Mark Hadfield, Technical Director of Barratt Homes to discuss with them the issues that they are facing in completing Phase two of the Home Farm development.

The meeting was to gain an understanding from their (Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes) perspective the situation as they see it, so that we all might be better informed.

We understand from Taylor Wimpey, Barratt and Deloitte that a pot of money is held in an escrow account that can be called down only against specific tasks. We understand from Taylor Wimpey and Barratt that this is insufficient to cover the cost of completing the roads, sewers, paths and kerbs, etc.

Mark Edmonds outlined that Taylor Wimpey and Barratt are in the process of showing Deloitte that the “asset” that is the land on which the unmade roads and sewers etc. are, is in fact a liability. Deloitte are the administrators for Coftons the original owners of the land. Deloitte will not, according to Taylor Wimpey and Barratt, reveal the extent of the liabilities that relate to this land.

Added to this, Cambridgeshire County Council had expressed doubts that the actual finished road and sewer work completed so far was up to a standard that could be adopted. Taylor Wimpey and Barratt had to satisfy Cambridgeshire County Council that the finished parts of Phase two of Home Farm roads and sewers had been completed to an adoptable standard. We understand from Taylor Wimpey and Barratt that this is now done and Cambridgeshire County Council are satisfied with the work.

Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes are now getting competitive tenders for the finishing of roads, kerbs, paths and sewers etc so that they can be brought up to an adoptable standard. This is scheduled to be done by Christmas 2010.

This can then be shown to Deloitte to show that the work and the land is a liability and then we understand that negotiations can start to allow this work to be completed.

Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes have agreed to give the Home Farm Forum monthly updates on how this is progressing.

We also raised the issue of house sales falling through. Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes wanted to understand what issues sellers are having and to contact them so that they might help, by way of assurance to the buyers’ solicitors that the matter was in hand and being resolved. If you are facing difficulties in trying to sell or buy a house on the development please contact Mark Edmonds at Taylor Wimpey or Mark Hadfield with the particular issues you are facing.

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