by Stephen Waite

A housing developer has been condemned for failing to complete roads and pavements on a Sittingbourne estate, years after the first residents moved in.

Labour’s Cllr Roger Truelove says people living at Kemsley Fields have been suffering “severe anxiety” after being left in a “shocking situation” by Taylor Wimpey.

Roads and paths are in such a poor condition that Kent County Council will not adopt them, landscaping remains unfinished and the children’s play area is non-existant.

At Wednesday’s full Swale Council meeting, Cllr Truelove said there had been subsidence at one end of the estate and Taylor Wimpey was to blame for lack of progress in resolving the problem.

He also called on Swale’s officers to produce the building control certificate, which he said was missing, to prove construction had been to necessary standards.

Swale’s Tory highways cabinet member, Cllr John Wright, agreed the situation was “not satisfactory” but added KCC had reached an agreement with Taylor Wimpey over what work needed to be done.

Kemsley ward representative Cllr Mike Whiting said he welcomed the agreement. “This has gone on for far too long and despite many meetings, including my own with the developers, the issue has blighted the lives of many of the residents.”

But this week, a Taylor Wimpey spokesman said a resolution was still being negotiated: “Some repair issues have been identified in the sewerage network and Taylor Wimpey is working with Southern Water and KCC to agree the best solution.

“Once agreement has been reached and the necessary work carried out, work to finish the roads will be able to commence.”

A Southern Water spokesman was unable to say when the work would happen and stressed that new legislation meant the company was newly-responsible for 17,500km of pipework and priority was being given to repairs where the problem was causing flooding or blockages.

The open space earmarked for a play area remains empty, despite the Taylor Wimpey spokesman saying it is “now available for residents to enjoy”.

Swale has £50,000 to spend on equipment but its spokesman said the developer had been slow to complete agreed landscaping and transfer the open space into council ownership.