Calls For Developer To ‘Play Fair’ Over Unfinished Play Park

Plymouth Labour’s candidate in the Moor View by-election is calling on a developer to “play fair” and commit to completing a play park at a Plymouth housing development.

Will Noble is also urging Persimmon to rectify a number of issues at the company’s Palmerston Heights development in Derriford which he says is leaving people, especially women, feeling vulnerable after dark.

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Will has written to the company requesting a representative of the company – which has its headquarters in York – to come to a residents’ meeting he is arranging.

“Residents, some of whom have lived here for five years, tell me how disappointed they are at the state of the play park, work has been started and ground to a halt even though this amenity was a key selling feature,” said Will.

“Residents don’t feel Persimmon is listening to them so it’s time they played fair and fixed the problems.

“I have invited a senior manager to walk around with me so I can show them the play park and all the other issues people are raising with me and then speak to residents to hopefully offer some reassurance about their plans to fix them,” said Will, who lives in nearby Glenholt.

He says there are worries about lighting of the road from the bus stop to Colborne Road and he was prompted to walk the route himself after numerous residents raised concerns when he was recently out knocking on doors on the estate.

“There is insufficient functioning lighting for approximately for about 3.5 minutes of the route by my reckoning,” said Will.

“At the moment it is pitch black by 5pm. Residents, especially women, should not have to endure the stress of feeling vulnerable. One swift solution is to install temporary string lights as used in the Forder Valley construction site. 

“In addition there are potentially dangerous unfinished building works and obstructions such as bollards and temporary fencing blocking the pavement and parts of the pavement are uneven.

“This is a lovely development and residents deserve for it to be finished to the level they expect,” said Will.

“I do hope Persimmon will agree to meet me and hear some of the solutions I have and listen to residents to get this all sorted as soon as possible.”

Read the full text of Will’s letter below:

Dear Sir/ Madam

I am writing in my capacity as a Council Candidate for Moor View and, more importantly, a local resident living close to Palmerston Heights.

I am writing to bring to your attention a number of issues at the development which residents have been raising with me when I have been out knocking on doors across the estate.

Residents tell me they do not feel Persiommon is listening to them and I would like to invite you to meet me at Palmerston Heights and hear from residents at a meeting I am arranging.

The issues being raised with me are:

Play Park:

The play park shown on the Palmerston Heights plans hasn’t been completed. Only in the past few months has there been any activity at the site of the play park. On a recent visit, although there was some play equipment and fencing there, paving, paths, steps and planting around the park was not complete and the area was fenced off. Parents expressed concern that children may wander onto building areas and play which could be dangerous.

Action required: 

(i) Provide Residents with a competition date for the Play Park

(ii) Ensure works near homes is started and finished in a timely manner (iii) where work is unfinished ensure areas with ongoing works are adequately secured especially over school holiday periods

Access to the Estate and Delayed Roadworks:

Residents understand some disruption is necessary, and have expressed disappointment that the works at the top of Pintail Way to connect the new Forder Valley Link Road are delayed.

The diversion in place to access the Estate is arduous and becomes congested, of particular concern is access to the estate via Colbourne Road.

Pedestrians:

The only footpath or pavement from the Bus stops on William Prance Road is via Colborne Road. The pavement is only on one side of the road and is currently untopped / unfinished. 

The lower section is bordered by muddy embankments and on a recent visit there was an open trench which was insufficiently marked by traffic cones and metal fencing and another square-shaped pot hole nearby.

There are some lampposts however on recent site visits in November and December we found no working street lights. Local residents say this has been the situation for some months now.  Currently the route is in complete darkness before 5pm, and this will be the case until the spring. It took me more than 3 minutes to walk along the unlit route on a recent visit. As well as tripping hazards being harder to see in the dark, one resident told me they are terrified and feel anxious as the route is secluded.

Action required:

(i) Inspect the pavement and fill in potholes – removing tripping hazards. 

(ii) Fix the street lighting as a priority and ensure the lighting covers the route adequately. Provide temporary lighting such as the rope lighting that was used on the Forder Valley road site to illuminate the route. 

(iii) Investigate an alternative, marked and fully-lit route for pedestrians, perhaps down William Prance Road to access Buttercup Road via the offices (as suggested by one resident). 

(iv) Provide a timetable for work with deadlines and communicate this with residents.

Vehicles and Cars:

There are vehicles parked at the upper part of the diversion which makes it difficult for people to navigate out of the estate. There is also quite an amount of litter and building debris around the development which collects in the gutters; this has resulted in many residents having punctured tyres.

Action required: 

(i) Provide or ensure workers on the site have places away from residents’ streets to park and that parking does not impede access. There is a car park at William Prance Road which should be used. 

(ii) Regularly sweep streets and litter pick, to reduce chances of loose debris causing damage.

I have attached photographs to illustrate the problems I have detailed.

The wellbeing of residents needs to be addressed, women shouldn’t feel vulnerable walking from the bus stop to home. 

The play park deadline for completion should be accelerated so children have somewhere to exercise and play safely.

I would be grateful for a written response to this letter before your offices close for the seasonal holiday. I would also like a named representative to liaise with directly.

I am calling a residents’ meeting and formally invite a representative to listen to residents’ concerns and to give assurances about the actions you will be taking in response to this letter and the meeting.

Your sincerely

William Noble