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19
Apr
Andrew Jones MP highlights housing estate problems in Commons debate
The problems experienced by residents on new housing estates were highlighted by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones in a House of Commons debate yesterday.
The debate on New Build Homes Standards: North Yorkshire – in reality a single question-and-answer exchange between two members of the same party – was the final item of the afternoon session.
Mr Jones said he had been running a 'fair deal for new estates' campaign for over a year and had been alerted to the issue when residents in newbuild properties came to him for support in dealing with problems they were having with their new homes.
He said:
Kings Croft is a Harron Homes scheme in Killinghall, Garten Close is an Avant development in Knaresborough, Harlow Green is a Taylor Wimpey scheme in Harrogate and Swincliffe Mews is a Newby development in Harrogate.
Mr Jones said the problems could be divided into two groups: issues with individual properties and issues across whole estates.
Estate-wide issues cover matters such as drainage, road surfacing, street lighting, street signage and play areas, and “simply being a good neighbour during the final build-out of an estate by keeping roads as clean as possible, and making consideration for delivery times and the types of vehicles used”.
Andrew Jones MP addressing the House of Commons yesterday. Image: Parliamentlive.tv.
He said:
On problems with individual properties, he said:
He said he had been dealing with housebuilders including Taylor Wimpey, Avant Homes and Harron Homes.
Last April, he met representatives of Barratt Homes to discuss concerns raised by residents of the Hay-a-Park Barratt development in Knaresborough – the building of which finished many years ago.
In the debate, Mr Jones spoke of the the need for housebuilders to be more proactive in their communication and keep householders informed. He said:
Mr Jones rounded off his speech by asking for an update on the government’s work on future homes and building standards.
In response, Jacob Young, Conservative MP for Redcar and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, said that more needed to be done to address homebuyers’ concerns where standards had fallen short. He said:
He also spoke about the government’s work on construction skills, energy efficiency and the new homes ombudsman. He added:
But the Liberal Democrats' parliamentary candidate, Tom Gordon, laid into that the government's record on regulating developers. He told the Stray Ferret:
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