Builders pledge sport pitches and shops after legal threat

Developers agreed to provide a sports complex, allotments and retail units at Gilden Park (pictured top)

House builders who were taken to court by a local authority for not building community facilities on a new estate insist "progress is being made".

Harlow Council, in Essex, filed injunction papers with the High Court in July after claiming developers had failed to provide sports pitches, allotments, a community centre and retail units at the Gilden Park development.

The injunction tried to stop developers selling more houses until obligations were met or "suitable" action taken.

A consortium for the development said it was "very sorry" for the delay and that it had already met "several of the obligations" agreed recently with the council.

A spokesperson for the Gilden Park consortium added: "We acknowledge that there have been delays and are very sorry that the community facilities at the development are not all yet complete.

"We remain eager to work with the council so that we can deliver all the facilities as quickly as possible."

More than 1,000 homes have already been built at Gilden Park

Under the so-called Section 106 agreements - as part of the planning permission granted by Harlow Council - the developers Persimmon, Barratt David Wilson and Taylor Wimpey were supposed to provide a series of amenities.

Harlow Council said it wanted the sport pitches and community building provided by the end of 2024 and retail units by December 2025.

Residents have already moved into Gilden Park, which is located between Old Harlow and the M11, where more than 1,000 homes have been built.

'Keeping a close eye'

Conservative Harlow councillor Michael Hardware, portfolio holder for economic development, said the council would take "further injunctive action" if breaches were made.

"The Gilden Park residents have been challenging the consortium for many years to address the lack of progress on community infrastructure," he said.

"We will be keeping a close eye on every single part of the implementation."

The council's injunction is thought to have been the first of its kind in England.

The consortium said it hoped to meet Harlow Council in early 2024.