Anger over unfinished Abbey Farm estate bill

Residents and councillors at Abbey Farm in North Swindon have raised concerns that they could be left paying for almost £200,000 of unfinished work on the housing estate.

The outstanding work includes flood management, landscaping and play-park improvements. Residents fear they could ultimately face higher management fees if responsibility for the estate is transferred to a management company before the work is completed.

Abbey Farm resident Joe Tomkinson, who moved to the development in 2017, said homeowners had bought their properties expecting to live on a “premium estate”.

Residents already pay management charges in addition to council tax to maintain communal areas and other shared facilities.

Joe said: “We accepted we were going to have to pay on top of council tax, but to let the developers ride off into the sunset while residents pick up the bill isn’t what we were promised.”

He said the incomplete flood management works were particularly concerning and described the situation as “the ultimate cautionary tale” for anyone considering buying a new-build home.

Councillor Kate Tomlinson, who represents St Andrews East Ward, has criticised developers Redrow and Vistry over their handling of the issue. She said residents could be left liable for the outstanding costs through increased management fees if the work is not completed before the estate is transferred.

“What is the point of delivering new homes that then residents are left completely out of pocket on years later?” she said.

The Home Owners Alliance has warned that disputes over the quality and completion of new-build estates are becoming increasingly common as more homes are constructed.

Its chief executive, Paula Higgins, said there is currently a lack of effective redress and enforcement for homeowners facing problems with estate management.

A spokesperson for Vistry said: “The outstanding issues relate principally to the approval of open space and landscaping works, which are currently being reviewed through the appropriate processes.”

Redrow and Vistry said they remain committed to completing their obligations and securing the necessary approvals.

With thousands more homes planned across Swindon and Wiltshire, residents say the situation at Abbey Farm highlights the need for greater accountability when new housing developments are handed over to homeowners and management companies.

Coate (Badbury Park) residents need to ask "are we in a similar situation" with the Land still not transferred to Property Owners?