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BBC News
07-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
West Midlands housing estates plagued with constant problems
New build estates plagued with constant problems 13 minutes ago Share Save Chris Steers BBC Midlands Today Share Save BBC Some residents at Haden Cross have been unable to reach their homes by car since a landslip before Christmas When Reece Aleksander moved into a new-build housing estate in the West Midlands five years ago he thought he had bought his dream home. However, he said it had become a nightmare. A landslip before Christmas has blocked access to his and some other residents' homes ever since. But Haden Cross Drive in Cradley Heath also features street lights that have never worked and sewers that still have not been taken on by the water company. Developer Dunedin Homes said the landslip was not a "simple, quick or easy fix", but that it was working on a temporary measure. It added that much of the work on street lights had been completed and that sewers would be adopted "in due course". Sandwell Council said it had issued a notice requiring the privately owned road to be opened up by the end of September, adding that it hoped enforcement action would not be necessary. Reece Aleksander said he was concerned the landslip could reach his front door The landslip at Christmas saw soil and clay spill across the road and on to Mr Aleksander's drive. However, residents said subsidence in Haden Cross Drive first became evident in January 2024 when a tree fell in nearby woods. The land has shifted several times since then, with one small night-time slip caught on a camera set up by Mr Aleksander. "It definitely woke me up, shocked isn't even the word," he said. "They haven't given us a timeline, they haven't given us any reassurance that it's going to be fixed. "All we've had is a letter through the door saying there will be a temporary fix." In a letter sent to residents on 16 April, seen by the BBC, the firm said engineers had devised a temporary solution that would allow the road to be cleared of debris, but it was currently "unable to provide definitive timescales". The camera captured the moment a small landslip happened in the middle of the night Sewers at Haden Cross have yet to be adopted by Severn Trent Water, at which point their responsibility passes to the water supplier, and the developer footed a bill when they became blocked soon after homes were sold. Fellow resident Irene Taylor bought her home at Haden Cross at the same time as Mr Aleksander, and said she had yet to receive a water bill since moving in. She added that there had been long-term problems with sewers in the area. Dunedin, however, said it was "not aware of any current issues with the sewers" and that a report commissioned as part of the adoption process showed it was "operating as expected". Irene Taylor said she had not received a water bill in the five years she had lived at Haden Cross But Haden Cross is not the only estate built by Redditch-based firm Dunedin to have problems with sewers and street lights. At St Dominic's Place, in the Hartshill area of Stoke-on-Trent, residents have come up with their own novel solution to the lack of lighting over the past six years. They have attached solar-charged, battery-powered lights, similar to those found in gardens, to the metal poles in a bid to make the area safer at night. which is responsible for connecting up the street lights, said it only received an enquiry from Dunedin for that work on 28 February and final paperwork was submitted on 10 April. National Grid said it was not its responsibility to connect up those street lights, but noted that they had not been part of the original application by Dunedin in 2018. Residents Sewage covered the bank behind homes, Mr Canavan said Dan Canavan and his family moved into their new build on the street in 2019. "We had a big problem last year with a collapsed drain on a street up from us and it was causing backfill issues on our estate," he said. "Severn Trent wouldn't accept that we were on their system - we had to all pay together I think £700 to have 13,000 gallons removed from the system. "We had raw sewage running down the fields behind us as a result of it." Stoke-on-Trent City Council successfully took Dunedin Homes to court last year and the firm was forced to pay £4,000 in fines, costs and a surcharge, the maximum available at the time, for a breach of planning permission. Severn Trent said it had inspected the sewers on 14 March and found that all "remedial works" had been completed as requested and that it would adopt them when "one outstanding point" was addressed by the developers. Dan Canavan said residents had to club together and pay for the sewerage system to be pumped out as it had not been adopted A third council in the West Midlands has also taken action against Dunedin Homes. Walsall Council issued an enforcement notice after a Labour club knocked down as part of a development at Unity Drive in Pelsall was not rebuilt in the timeframe outlined in the planning conditions. Demolished in 2015, it was meant to have been replaced within 10 months. It is now completed. A final inspection was carried out in December 2024, and it is due to be signed off by the local authority, the developer said. However, in the past 10 years the club has closed, according to the Financial Conduct Authority, and one resident told the BBC that the site had become a magnet for anti-social behaviour and vandals. Dunedin has disputed that, saying that it employed a maintenance firm to collect litter, cut grass and keep an eye on the site every two weeks. Steve Lowbridge said Pelsall Labour club had been misled Steve Lowbridge was a member of the club when the developer was looking to build 24 homes at Unity Drive. "The directors of Dunedin Homes did a presentation back in 2014. The club had been struggling for some time and they said they would knock down the old club and build a more suitable premises - what processed was exactly the opposite," he said. "The club was misled from day one, the council blamed the developer, the developer blamed the council. "My personal opinion the main culprit in all this is Dunedin Homes." Dunedin said the club was on the verge of bankruptcy and the building was in a poor state of repair before it was demolished. It said it had settled many of its debts and legal costs, "which literally saved the club". Janine Jeffery, who is listed as the club secretary, told the BBC that the project to bring the new building into use was in its "final development stages, with significant progress being made". This view, captured by a drone, shows the extent of the landslip at Haden Cross, blocking the road In a lengthy response, Dunedin said regarding the landslip at Cradley Heath there were "a number of extremely complex geotechnical factors to take account of". "We have sought to update the residents at each key juncture of our remedial plans," it said. "We are continuing to liaise with our solicitors and engineers to identify and implement a permanent remedial solution at the soonest opportunity." It said the street lights there and at Hartshill were "fully ducted" and "awaiting energising". At Hartshill, it said it was liaising with about connecting those up. In Cradley Heath, Dunedin said the process of connecting street lights had been affected by one of them being "directly in front of the retaining wall that has failed" during the landslip. However, the firm failed to address the key issue raised by residents at both estates about the length of time in connecting those up, after many moved in five years ago. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Birmingham mystery gardener fills road pothole with plant - and everyone has the same reaction
Potholes usually drive motorists to despair as they bounce around in their seats. But a mystery green-fingered person is bringing a little smile to faces after filling in a deep hole with a plant. The pink Bizzie Lizzy has been planted on Kings Road in Kings Heath and has been bringing a little joy to passers-by. READ MORE: Full list of Birmingham dates and times of mobile bin lorries including city parks READ MORE: Martin Lewis' MSE tells drivers 'don't fall for petrol station myth' Read More: Dad pays tribute to 'best thing in the world' son who died in Malvern farm incident It was spotted a local man called Nick who was out on a walk on Good Friday afternoon. He said: "I pulled over and felt I had to take a picture of it - it really made me smile. Get the latest BirminghamLive news direct to your inbox "People were driving past and smiling, or stopping their cars to have a good look. "One lady laughed and shouted from her car asking if I'd done it, I told her I hadn't, but I wish I did ! "Obviously there's a serious point to it though - Kings Road, like so many other roads in Birmingham, is blighted by pot holes so deep you can plant a flower in it. Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join "We have to wait months, if not years, for repairs, and all too often when the holes are repaired they soon come back again." Meanwhile, in a different region of the Midlands, Sandwell Council was showing off a new £155,000 machine which will slash the time it takes to fill some of the borough's potholes The tractor, named the Multevo Multihog road planer, is said to shave hours off the time it takes crews to fill the hazardous holes in the borough's roads. Cllr Paul Moore, the Labour-run council's deputy leader, said the authority was spending £55m on highways this year and despite the purchase of the new machinery, Sandwell's roads were already among some of the best in the country.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Pub can reopen despite lock-in violence
A pub has had its licence reinstated despite a man being kicked unconscious during an illicit early-hours lock-in. The Old Crown, now called Paradise Bar, in Sandwell Road, West Bromwich, had been closed since March following calls for an urgent review by West Midlands Police after a man was knocked unconscious during a fight outside the venue. The force said it was still investigating an offence of grievous bodily harm over the fight. Sandwell Council's licensing subcommittee agreed to hand back the pub's landlord, Orville Hines, his licence following a hearing on 9 April. Mr Hines told the hearing he had only leased the venue to Paradise Bar, and he did not have any input into the "day-to-day conduct" of the business. He added that he would always investigate incidents at his venues, but as the landlord, he was not responsible for the behaviour and actions of his tenants. A report, which was discussed by Sandwell Council's licensing committee, said the fight broke out at around 02:55 GMT on 1 March – nearly 90 minutes after the pub should have closed. Police said CCTV footage from 15 minutes earlier showed the pub "fully illuminated" and people standing outside with a "small" number of people leaving. The footage then captured the fight at around 02:55 where "crowds" of people are seen leaving, according to the police's application for review. The hearing heard that incidents had also taken place in October and December last year – including one in which three people suffered facial injuries. The force said it had "no confidence" the conditions of the licence were being upheld and had "serious concerns" about the pub remaining open. Sandwell's public health officers agreed, saying the "disorder and violence associated with the venue pose a clear risk to public safety and well-being, necessitating urgent action". An urgent review was held behind closed doors on 14 March, when the pub's licence was suspended until the full hearing on 9 April. But following discussions prior to the meeting, West Midlands Police said the venue re-opening with conditions added to its licence was the "sensible way forward". This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. West Midlands Police Sandwell Council
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
How much council tax will I pay in the Black Country?
Council tax charges are set to rise across the Black Country in Wolverhampton, Walsall and Sandwell councils laid out their plans in budget meetings this four councils agreed to increase council tax by the maximum 4.99% and approved millions of pounds of spending and cuts, with leaders citing significant financial has promised £2bn of funding for English councils in the year from April 2025, an extra £700m on top of the £1.3bn announced in October's Budget. Dudley Conservative-run Dudley Council approved £42m of savings as part of its five-year increase means an average band D house will pay £1.94 extra per council will close one of its three dementia hubs, the Crystal Gateway, to save £500,000 per year. Green waste fees will also increase from £36 to £ the Sycamore Adventure Centre in Upper Gornal was saved from the cuts after being under threat."It has been a tough time for all councils in the UK, we are all overspending on adult social care and children's social care," Conservative leader Patrick Harley said."We have put together a package of measures which will see us through to 2030." Wolverhampton The Labour-run council has outlined £40.7m of savings over a three-year council tax rise means a band D household will pay £1.92 extra per approved the closure of shop mobility and a significant reduction in its community events council will also remove security staff from Wolverhampton and Bilston markets to save £91, Stephen Simkins said the authority would crack down on fly tipping and spend an extra £500,000 to help fix potholes and maintain highways. Sandwell Labour-run Sandwell Council outlined savings of £19m to balance the 2025/26 will pay an extra £2 per week in council tax in a band D council will look to close the Harry Mitchell Leisure Centre, transfer Hadley Stadium to a third party and develop a new operating model for Tipton Sports will also increase charges for meals on wheels, burials and cremation, introduce higher green waste subscription fees and switch to alternate weekly collections of general waste and on BBC Radio WM this month, leader Kerrie Carmichael said: "I understand that council tax is a bugbear for most people but we do a lot with it in Sandwell."We've protected our library services, they are really important to us." Walsall Conservative-run Walsall Council made almost £30m of savings to set a balanced budget for 2025/ council tax increase amounts to an extra £1.99 per week for a band D authority approved cuts to funding for Christmas lights and a 20% increase to bulky waste collection charges will also go up by 20%, which will save the council £70, council scrapped plans to close and relocate the leather council leader Mark Statham admitted it was not sustainable to keep raising council tax and called for a "fair, multi-year government settlement in future years"."The government must address funding for local authorities to enable councils to meet rising demand, particularly in social care," he said. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
