Five-year wait for repairs on estate 'is not good enough'

People on the Oakfield Lodge development, off Brinkburn Road in Darlington, said unfinished pavements and roads are a danger to elderly people and children.

Ward councillors Bryan Thistlethwaite and Don Bristow said they have had countless complaints from residents and made numerous requests to Bellway Homes for the work to be completed.

Coun Thistlethwaite said: "In Hartington Way, it is predominantly pensioners, so you have elderly people coming out onto pavements with fire hydrant points stuck up and uncovered manholes.

"The pavements are diabolical. We get promise after promise but nothing materialises."

Coun Bristow said: "It would appear that the developers have taken advantage of the patience and sufferance of these people. They have been waiting for five years."

Resident Mona Massey, 68, said: "We have got a cone outside our house where they started doing some work about three months ago. They seem to start something and then just stop and move onto something else.

"In the meantime, it is very dangerous for residents. We never expected it to drag on this long."

Chris Kirby said: "Manholes are sticking up all over the place. We're fed up."

Residents say several street lights have gone out and have not been replaced.

Darlington Borough Council cannot carry out repairs because the road is private until work is completed.

People on nearby Darrowby Drive are also angry that developers have not completed a children's play area.

Brian Thurgood said: "Workers come for two to three days, then disappear. They make promises they can't keep."

A Bellway Homes spokesman said the work could not be done until another developer, Persimmon Homes, had completed building work.

He said: "We have got a temporary surface. That's standard procedure on any development until the development is finished."

He said residents could expect the estate to be finished by next spring.

Persimmon could not be contacted for comment.