A CONSORTIUM of developers creating a massive new housing development on Barry's waterfront has been told it's limited in the number of houses it can sell until long-promised community facilities are finished.
The council say it has reached a legal agreement with the Waterfront Consortium through a “Consent Order” which “restricts their ability to sell further properties until much-delayed community facilities are completed”.
The council also say the consortium has to pay the council’s legal fees – a sum of £10,000.
Unfinished work, the empty "District Centre”, and Asian street food: Welcome to Barry's Waterfront development
There has been many complaints about the huge housing development being put together by Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes on Barry’s waterfront.
We were at the intense public meeting when Vale Councillors, including leader Lis Burnett and chief executive Rob Edwards, stood in front of furious residents tired at the lack of action on developing crucial community areas on the waterfront.
There’s been reported delays to landscaping, road surfacing and work on open spaces.
When we were shown round the development by resident and Plaid Cymru councillor Mark Hooper in November last year, we saw fenced-off areas containing incomplete building works, and tools and materials dumped in pockets all over the development where residents have been living for as long as four years.
Residents also complained about the empty retail units within the commercial development hidden in the centre of the waterfront known as “The District Centre”.
Why would it be hidden? Well, to visitors it wouldn’t been obvious that it even was a “District Centre” with nearly every retail unit unoccupied.
One unit has been taken up though and we were there to see it for ourselves. Asian street food eatery Koi Nooshi moved in as the waterfront’s first official operating business and we went to try the food.
Read more on Barry's waterfront, here:
- Barry's Waterfront development: What's it really like?
- Associated British Ports confident of Barry marina project
- Residents fury at Barry Waterfront Consortium in public meet
- UK Gov MP comes to Barry Waterfront to look at marina plans
'No injunction needed. "Consent Order" enough to get Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey and Barratt in line': Vale Council
The council initially sought to obtain a legal injunction to ensure delivery of the public open space on the site, however they say the agreed "Consent Order" achieves the same outcome without the need for further court action, bringing what the council described as a “swifter conclusion” for all involved.
Cllr Lis Burnett said: “I’m pleased an agreement has been reached to finally deliver all the outstanding community facilities that have long been promised to the residents of Barry Waterfront.
“Through regular meetings, we have made our strength of feeling clear to the developers in no uncertain terms and we have been determined to hold them accountable.”
The Waterfront Consortium has been contacted for comment.
Has all the work finally been completed on the Waterfront development in Barry? Residents of the Waterfront, are you seeing improvements, or is the development still a mess? Do you agree with Lis Burnett's comments? What do you think of the Barry Waterfront development and how it is going?
Let us know, emailing harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk.
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