Council 'has no power' to force estate handover

Paul Oakley says the path to nowhere should have provided a safe walking route out of the estate

A council says it has no power to force developers to hand a new housing estate over to them so roads can be maintained.

Residents of Steppingley Gardens in Flitwick, Bedfordshire, say their estate is unfinished and roads have not been adopted.

They claim key paths have not been completed and landscaping has not been carried out.

Central Bedfordshire Council said it understood why residents wanted clarity but the adoption process "must be led by the developer".

Usually, the roads and other infrastructure in a new housing estate are the responsibility of developers while building work continues.

Once the developers move out, the roads are adopted by the local council which then looks after them.

People in Steppingley Gardens, a 400-home development next to Flitwick Leisure Centre, say they are in limbo at the moment because developers appear to have left the site but the council has not adopted the roads.

Nick DuGard is concerned that selling houses might be difficult because the roads have not been adopted

Nick DuGard, one of the residents, said the lack of adoption could have financial implications.

"If the road is unadopted by the council, that could create problems with solicitors and questions being asked about road surfaces and when adoption will actually take place," he said.

"So it could create delays and difficulties in selling one's property."

One path on the estate passes in front of houses near a main road, but a large hedge blocks any further progress.

Paul Oakley said: "This should be a path that goes straight through but currently it goes nowhere.

"People have made their own routes through the hedges on to the main road, which is very busy at the best of times."

Connor Gladwin is getting fed up with people jumping over the railings next to his house because there is no footpath

Residents believe another path should have been provided between the estate and the adjacent leisure centre.

Without it, people heading out of the estate have been seen climbing over railings and crossing a small stream via a makeshift pallet bridge.

Connor Gladwin, who lives next to this unofficial path, said: "We've got kids and even adults hopping the fence continuously trying to get to the gym.

"It's unacceptable - someone needs to take ownership for it."

Ian Treadgold says wasteland on the site has not been landscaped

A large area of wasteland remains on the estate, apparently unmaintained.

Residents believed landscaping of the site would be completed before the developers left.

One of them, Ian Treadgold, said: "It's never been touched, it's never been grassed - what you're seeing is land where nature is reclaiming it."

Central Bedfordshire Council said: "The council has no powers to force developers to enter into or progress adoption of roads.

"We understand that residents want clarity on the Steppingley Gardens development.

"We are in contact with the developer, however this is a process that must be led by them."

The developers have been contacted for a response.