Residents living in houses by Persimmon Homes in Bridgend have revealed a range of concerns with the developer after the council allowed them to build more homes nearby.
Home-owners in Parc Derwen, Coity have revealed a number of issues on the estate built by Persimmon Homes after Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) recently gave the company permission to build 102 more properties.
Dean Barrington, who has lived at Parc Derwen for the last five years, said residents have experienced "a ridiculous amount of issues, missed deadlines and promises broken" by Persimmon Homes including drainage issues and poor landscaping.
He said on one occasion there was an issue with his water mains but when he called the construction director, he was rude and hung up on him.
He also found the internal pipes for his home had been filled with stones but the developer "took no responsibility". "In the end I had to get a private plumber out," he said.
Mr Barrington said a common issue across Parc Derwen is that drains have not been fitted properly in the roads which has caused him to have a "sliced" tyre.
Independent councillor Amanda Williams, who represents Coity, also said the drains in Parc Derwen are damaging locals' vehicles.
"It’s so bad that there’s so many burst tyres. Persimmon are shambolic. Over the years there have been so many issues raised.
"A lot of the gardens are terrible. They keep doing temporary repairs. Lots of pavements are incomplete."
BCBC approved the construction of an extra 102 properties at Parc Derwen by Persimmon Homes during a meeting on Thursday August 20.
But some councillors, including Cllr Williams were concerned the developer will not provide enough play areas on the estate because they have been slow to do so when developing other parts of the site.
Residents have also been disappointed by a lack of shops and litter bins provided by Persimmon Homes and BCBC at Parc Derwen. Many are also frustrated by a lack of places for children at Coety Primary school, situated on the estate.
Park Derwen resident Daniel, who moved there in 2016, said the work completed by Persimmon Homes has been "a bit piecemeal".
"When we originally moved in we were told that the shops and play areas were going to be built relatively shortly."
He said residents have been "let down" because so far, only one play area has been provided for the estate, which will consist of around 1,500 homes once the final development stage is complete.
He also said a couple living on his street took matters into their own hands a few years ago when they bought a bin for the community to dispose of their dog waste and were emptying it themselves. Before this, he said many residents were leaving dog mess in empty grit bins.
Cllr Williams said building waste has been discarded throughout Parc Derwen during its development. She said her friend's daughter cut her leg on building waste while walking to Coety Primary School last year.
Daniel said during construction, "things would not get put away and they got blown out into the road."
He said he was driving through the estate a few years ago and suffered tyre puncture from a metal spike which he believes had been discarded by builders.
"I can see why people are frustrated," said Cllr Williams. "They have got no facilities there, children can’t go to school, they can’t go out and play on the grass."
As part of the planning permission for the extra 102 homes, Persimmon Homes is required to build one more park at Park Derwen.
But Cllr Williams doubts they will be built any time soon. She said the developer seems "more focused on selling houses". "People have been promised parks for so long and they are just not doing it."
She added that there have been flooding issues throughout the estate including flooding over Coety Primary School's cycle paths before lockdown.
"Children were going to school soaking wet and parents were carrying them over these huge puddles and the children were soaked. It’s not good enough."
She said the school flooded because the landscaping on sports pitches too high. "How somebody hasn’t had a serious incident is crazy."
Mr Barrington said Persimmon Homes has shown a "lack of care and understanding" for Park Derwen residents.
"Even though they have said they are landscaping they aren’t. It’s children we have got to protect more than anything. I don’t think you will find anyone living here who has a good thing to say about them."
According to Daniel, his drainage pipes had been "cemented shut" when he moved in to his home in Parc Derwen almost four years ago.
He said he had to have his shower re-built twice, his driveway relaid twice because it was "sinking" and his garden re-done because "the ground hadn’t been prepared properly".
"There was an issue with part of the frame for the shower. They had obviously run out of materials at the time and used skirting board."
Daniel said on one occasion streetlights outside his home were flickering on and off constantly.
"At one point it was like having a rave. It was on and off for about a day or so and then it got sorted. We have got an awful lot of young kids on this estate. We don’t want them walking around the place in the street."
Both Daniel and Mr Barrington said contractors were operating heavy machinery and driving trucks through the estate during school pick-up hours, despite Persimmon Homes promising this would not happen.
"There was meant to be no traffic coming through during the school rush hour but we would always have the trucks arriving causing traffic," said Daniel.
Mr Barrington said: "They only care about pound notes. It’s a combination of Persimmon and Bridgend Council. They are both as bad as each other. It’s obviously about money. As long as they get that the lot of them don’t care."
Persimmon Homes West Wales managing director Andrew Edwards met with Bridgend MP Jamie Wallis and Cllr Williams last week.
A spokesman for Persimmon Homes said the firm has carried out work on the estate's roads and main infrastructure over the last 12 months but with some works still "ongoing".
He said: "We envisage that final surfacing to the majority of estate roads will be complete within the next three months.
"“By the nature of a new development and ground conditions in Wales, surface water run-off can be an issue. Where surface water is excessive, we have installed land drainage and improved rear gardens.
"We have recently had incidences of blocked drains, particularly in periods of heavy rainfall, and although there was one instance where debris did exist in one small area, the mis-use of nappy wipes appeared to be the main culprit."
He also said planning permission was granted for the shops in August and play areas will be installed over the next few weeks but providing litter bins is Bridgend County Borough Council's responsibility.
A council spokesman said its planning team was "following up a number of enforcement issues regarding the overall development at Parc Derwen, including the provision of play areas and open space".
They said the primary school was "designed and built to a size deemed suitable at the time it was conceptualised" but the council will consider creating an additional nursey and primary education places at Coety Primary School through an extension or mobile classroom.
