Video update 1st August

This is the latest video taken around the Stonebridge Park Estate this afternoon. On this occasion new home owners have moved into the bottom row of houses in Dennett Close. The new road here is now being surfaced with bricks and traffic calming measures.

The week began with employees of WATES living space moving into Melville Gardens and surveying the first homes to be fitted with external wall cladding, and by the weekend scaffolding had been erected around two houses.

Project manager Sharon Brookes had said that 50 houses in the first consultation area of Eastham Close, Lytton Close, Dennett Close, Wray Close, Stonebridge Road & Magson Close would be done first. They are in line for off road parking spaces, perimeter iron railings & fences, and in some instances new double glazed doors. However WATES quickly poured cold water on this decision, and have decided to abandon these properties until October, while giving priority to the installation of exterior wall cladding around the estate.

The price of external cladding appears to depend on where you live on our estate ?

In another bazaar twist Sharon Brookes has written letters to all of the home owners in the front row of houses in Flewitt Gardens, informing them that “all home owners” on Stonebridge would get external wall cladding on their properties for a reduced fee of £2,170, which she said could not be reduced further, and was a final offer.

However, a home owner in Eastham Close who occupies a 3-bedroom house informed us that she had been offered external wall cladding for £1,126. Because it was good value the occupier decided to accept this and paid the amount in full, and in advance. She has been informed that the work would begin on 12^th September.

Two other home owners, this time living in Ferrers Walk, informed me today that they had been offered external wall cladding for £440, which is a third of the price being offered to the home owner in Eastham Close!

It will be interesting to hear about other so called ‘special offers’ on external wall cladding being made to home owner/occupiers around our estate in the coming weeks.

There are also complaints from home owners about project manager Sharon Brookes, that they are having difficulty arranging one-to-one appointments. Mrs Brookes fails to return phone calls, and on occasion does not turn up for her arranged appointment(s)!