Residents at a Devon estate have been left in limbo after the developer responsible for the site collapsed into administration, leaving crucial finishing touches incomplete.
The Home Farm scheme, in Exeter's Pinhoe, was approaching completion when the company behind the project, Burrington Estates Group, entered administration.
This has left elements such as green spaces and the children's playground unfinished, but the more pressing concern centres on the development's sewer works, which have not been confirmed as meeting required standards.
Such uncertainty means that South West Water (SWW) cannot take ownership of the sewer works, potentially leaving residents liable for any costs should problems arise before they receive official approval.
One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, also expressed concern that homeowners might face a choice about whether to fund completion of the sewer works to enable SWW to assume responsibility.
"But some will be prepared to pay and others won't be able to afford it," the resident said.
Whilst the resident said they had "no complaints" about their actual property, they felt "in limbo" due to the extent of unfinished works across the estate, materials abandoned on site, and uncertainty about the implications of the developer's failure for homeowners.
"These homes weren't cheap, and Burrington was still functioning at the time, but they have now disappeared off site and numerous people have tried to get in contact with them, but failed," a resident said.
"Also, the [county] council can't adopt the road, as they won't tarmac it if the drains aren't done to a specific standard," the resident added.
"As far as I know, there is money put into a bond that has been ringfenced and will and can go on it, but whatever has been left is not enough for SWW, which is saying 'it isn't our problem'."
A spokesperson for SWW said they had not been approached to carry out any sewer works on the Home Farm site.
"We do have a sewer adoption agreement in place which means that, providing the developer constructs the sewerage network to the required construction standards, we will adopt the main sewers as public," the spokesperson clarified.
"Financial responsibility to bring the sewers up to an adoptable standard is the developer's. The sewers are not currently at the necessary standard and so the sewers remain unadopted. South West Water is not owed any money by Burrington."
Devon County Council confirmed that a legal agreement had been established between it and the developer regarding the adoption of the estate roads.
"This is a legal contract that enables developers to construct roads to a standard acceptable to the highways authority for later adoption as highways maintainable at public expense and includes a surety as a financial safeguard in the event that the developer is unable to complete the road as agreed," the spokesperson said.
"Such agreements require any drains located under the road to be adopted by the relevant statutory undertaker, i.e. South West Water, prior to the road being adopted by the county council.
"We are currently looking carefully at the stipulations of the agreement, and will review the extent of the works already completed before deciding what next steps may be appropriate."
S&W, the administrator representing Burrington Estates Group, has been approached for comment regarding the incomplete works but has yet to provide a response.
