Walter Brown outside his home(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

'Appalling eyesore' at end of driveway leads couple to regret moving into new €430,000 home

17 Dec 2024, 07:46 by Anders Anglesey · Irish Mirror

Walter Brown and Sharon Kelly are regretting their decision to move into their new £358,000 home (approximately €433,000) in Balsam Way, Callerton, near Newcastle in the UK after being greeted by an unsightly view from their window.

The couple, who moved into the Ashberry Homes Church View development in December 2022, have been left dismayed by a neglected area at the end of their cul-de-sac, known as the SUDs, which has turned into an "eyesore" and a "wasteland".

Walter, 57, who works for Newcastle City Council, has been tirelessly trying to get the developers to address the issue since they moved in but feels ignored, reports the Mirror.

He said: "It's like landfill, it's got mattresses buried in there, there's rubble in there. We've sent emails, made phone calls, and chased it, but we're getting nowhere.The developers have blamed the state of the site on illegal fly-tipping and claim that sub-contractors have been appointed to clean it up, but a start date has yet to be announced."

The couple are distraught, and the lack of action has taken a toll on them. Walter added: "The developers have pointed fingers at illegal fly-tipping for the mess and have stated that sub-contractors will clean up the site, although no start date has been confirmed."

The ongoing situation is affecting the couple's well-being. Walter expressed his frustration, saying: "The tears my partner's had, we've looked forward to living in a new home for quite a few years. The outlook is appalling, it really is. We've paid a small fortune for this house."

The scene outside the house(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

He claimed that about eight weeks ago, a senior figure from Bellway inspected the site and assured him that the remaining work would be completed promptly. However, with less than two weeks until Christmas, there's still no sign of the promised clean-up operation starting.

The 57-year-old has also raised several issues such as missing road signs, "holes" on the road outside his home, the road not yet being fully tarmacked, and that street lighting only having been installed. All these points have been brought to the attention of Ashberry's parent company Bellway by ChronicleLive.

Describing the state of his street, Walter noted a clear difference compared to the neighbouring housing area built by Bellway, commenting: "You walk around the corner onto Bellway's estate and it's all flat, and it's done to the standard that we thought we were buying into."

The issues have left Walter and his partner regretting their decision to leave Chapel Park. Walter concluded: "In Chapel Park, there's a really well-established and looked after estate. It's just really nice around there and we wish we had stayed on the estate and bought another house there now, that's what it come to."

Bellway, the company behind Ashberry, has issued a response to the concerns raised by residents about the land being misused by fly-tippers. They stated: "Bellway has been working to address the concerns of residents relating to the land which has been used by fly-tippers to dispose waste illegally. Our divisional teams have been on site and sub-contractors have been appointed to clean up the site and undertake landscaping works to improve the area concerned."

They also addressed the state of the SUDs area, explaining: "The SUDs is an area which is a natural surface water drainage area and is designed to provide a natural area within the development. During the winter months, growth dies back and can look unsightly, so we are arranging to tidy up this area."

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