Local residents have hit out at a major Abergavenny development which they said has turned their new homes into a ‘building site’ and a ‘mud bath’.

Homeowners living opposite the Westgate development in Llanfoist said their new homes are often plastered with mud, their boiler systems are clogged with dust and children play on the hazardous site after work-hours as it isn’t fenced off.

“It’s like a building site,” said Angela, who lives in the Ffordd-sain-Ffwyst cluster in Llanfoist opposite where developers are busy building a new 200-room care home. ??Despite moving in over 12 months ago, residents said the roads are still missing the top layer of tarmac and ‘huge’ mounds of earth turn into ‘a great big bog’ once the rain hits, creating a ‘mud bath’.

Angela, who asked to not give her surname, said her complaints to Persimmon Homes over the last 12 months have been ‘completely ignored’ by the developer, who keeps promising to sort the problems out and fence off the site.

“We’ve got no tarmac on the roads, and the landscaping was meant to be finished last year.

“We are just fed up of the mud and dragging it in the house, to be honest. I understand the builders have jobs to do, and have no problem with that, but the area should at least be fenced off. ??

“Our houses need repainting, thanks to all the mud and mess. I feel like I am living on a building site. It’s just a mud bath. We just want it sorted out, finally.”

The busy 12-acre site off Merthyr Road is home to a new Premier Inn, Brewer’s Fayre restaurant and Costa Coffee drive-through, with construction workers working daily for Castleoak Care to build a new 60-room care home and 31-space care park, right opposite the residents’ homes.

Mike Harper, a local resident, said the major issues were the responsibility of Persimmon Homes, which developed the estate, as the roadworks and landscaping work was meant to be completed soon after the first families moved in.

After talking to the previous landowner, Johnsey Estates, back in June last year, Mr Harper was told there was a dispute between Johnsey and Persimmon over landscaping work, and the issue was being resolved, but little progress has been made.

Mr Harper said there has been a number of issues, ranging from children playing on the site, the lack of fencing, and flooding as the drains are raised due to the lack of tarmac – a job he said Persimmon should have finished months ago.

The lack of road-finishing led to further problems during the recent snowstorm, Mr Harper said, as he and neighbours could not drive out of the property as the roads hadn’t been gritted because they are not the responsibility of the county council until they have been finished and ‘handed over’ by the developer.

This was confirmed in an email sent by Persimmon Homes, recently.

“Persimmon homes have a duty to finish all landscaping and works as this was part of the agreement when purchasing the homes,” said Mike.

“A number of trees were to be planted around the site, the lake at the back was to be finished and landscaped, a local pathway is to be finished, the wooden fencing isn’t finished. The roads and curb lines haven’t been completed to the councils standard for them to adopt the roads.”

Mike, another local resident, said, “We are really concerned. They haven’t finished the roads off; we are left with a patch of land that open for children to play on – it’s full of rubbish and detritus. It was supposed to be finished in May.

“We moved in September 2016. The sales agent said we would have a landscaped garden, a landscaped lake and a nice path walking down to the lake and everything would be ‘fantastic’. That was in April last year. ??

“All the builders left, and we were left in limbo, with rubbish everywhere. ??Mike said he has been emailing various parties, including the county council, Persimmon Homes and Johnsey Estate, but he has been ‘passed from pillar to post’ over the last 18 months.

The residents said the lack of finished roads meant they went six weeks with refuse collection, as confusion between the council and the developers.

“I keep emailing them to ask if they could put fencing up. It’s crazy,” said Mike.

“The long and short of it is: it has just been really badly managed. I just get so sick of it. We paid good money for a development which isn’t finished. We were promised a block-paved drive: I’ve got tarmac; we were promised a landscaped outlook: I’ve got mud and filth everywhere. It is just unacceptable.”

A spokesman for Monmouthshire County Council, said, “The council has agreed a green infrastructure plan and a landscaping plan with developers but we would not seek compliance with these until all construction work had been completed on site. 

“In addition, we would extend the time if necessary for planting to take place in the appropriate season (October to March). 

“A previous complaint about a right of way at the edge of the site has been referred to the council’s rights of way team.

 “Many of the issues affecting residents are either the responsibility of other organisations or are to be resolved by the developers.  For instance, lack of fencing around a site is enforced by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). 

“Site roads are not currently adopted and remain private.  The responsibility for them rests with the respective developers as land owners. 

“The developers are in negotiation with the council with a view to offering the roads for adoption, but we’re unable to confirm when this is likely.  The roads would not receive a final surface until construction work has been completed to avoid damage to the top coat.”?

No-one from Persimmon Homes was available for comment as the Chronicle went to Press.UPDATE: A spokesperson for Persimmon Homes East Wales, said: “We expect road surfacing at The Meadows to be finished in the next four to six weeks, once final embankment works and a council highways inspection has been completed.“The neighbouring land and landscape area at The Meadows is owned by Johnsey Estates and we have forwarded the complaint to them for action.”