The seven-year hitch!

UNFINISHED: Bowling Green Close residents want work on their road completed after seven years.

Developer blames council for ‘farcical’ situation
Residents in Chadderton are in despair as essential work to their street has been left unfinished - for almost SEVEN years.

But the developer responsible for the road, Holroyd Homes, says it is being held up by the council.

Michaela Ridings, of Bowling Green Close, said the road surface hasn’t been finished and children have been injured falling over raised grids.

Residents have been asking for a final, second coat of tar surface to be applied to the roads for three years. Many are now fighting back by refusing to pay ground rent.

Michaela (39) said: “We keep ringing Holroyd Homes for an update but we’re getting nothing in return. They’re just not bothered.”

But Paul Whitehead, a director of Holroyd Homes, said that the company had done everything in its power to get the road finished: “We have actually been waiting for almost seven years to get an agreement from Oldham Council that says we can finish the road, and that they will adopt and carry on maintaining it in the future. The situation has become farcical.

“We want this done now, because it’s starting to reflect badly on us.”

Councillor Dave Hibbert, cabinet member for housing, transport and regeneration, said the developer didn’t have full title to the land he wanted the council to adopt — and this has to be resolved before an agreement could be made.



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