“GUTTED” families are living in an utterly chaotic new build nightmare estate where the houses have been left unfinished.
Residents on the half-built Silver Hill development in Plymouth feel “left in the lurch” after Halsall Construction Ltd announced it was going into administration.
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The Bath-based firm filed a notice of intention to appoint an administrator after making losses of £2.3 million leaving the estate in Tamerton Foliot unfinished.
The development consists of 38 homes and is a joint venture between parent company Halsall Homes and Plymouth Community Homes Regeneration Ltd (PCHR), a division of Plymouth Community Homes (PCH).
Just 17 homes have been finished, and even those have been subject to complaints, homeowners say.
George Clark, who bought a three-bedroom semi, told PlymouthLive: “It’s concerning. We have all had issues since we moved in.
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“I like the house and the neighbourhood but it is all very unfinished and now we are left in the lurch – will things get finished, and when?”
He added: “It is sad that Halsall has succumbed to market pressures but I hope PCH will step in, sort issues and find another contractor.
“The worst case would be if they abandoned everything and we were left on an unfinished estate. It’s causing anxiety and stress.”
Another resident – who owns a one-bedroom detached house – said he is “gutted” and the estate has been left in “utter chaos”.
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He went on to say, the development itself is locked and they are all living on a building site.
Halsall’s most recently published accounts, for 2022, show losses of £2.3 million, with revenue down by about a third to £29 million.
“It’s concerning. We have all had issues since we moved in.
“I like the house and the neighbourhood but it is all very unfinished and now we are left in the lurch – will things get finished, and when?”
George Clark
Andrew Hook, a partner at business consultancy Begbies Traynor, said the appointment of administrators will likely happen by the end of the month.
He is among the proposed administrators.
Halsall was founded in 1974 and has worked on residential and commercial building projects across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Wiltshire.
At the Silver Hill estate, 28 of the properties are for open market sale and 11 for affordable housing.
Five of those will be rented and six in shared ownership. None of the five intended for affordable rent are completed.
At Silver Hill it has been working with PCHR to build 38 homes, of which 28 are for open market sale and 11 for affordable housing, of which five will be rented and six in shared ownership.
None of the five intended for affordable rent are completed.
Three of the shared ownership homes have been completed and sold, and 14 of the open market homes have been sold.
PCH secured grant funding from Homes England to purchase seven of the remaining available open market homes so these could also be made available for shared ownership.
Nick Jackson, Executive Director of Business Services and Development at Plymouth Community Homes, told The Sun: “We are sad to learn that Halsall Construction has filed a notice of intention to appoint an administrator, and for the situation facing staff at both Halsall Construction and its parent company, Halsall Homes.
“Plymouth Community Homes Regeneration (PCHR) is engaged in a joint venture with Halsall Homes on the Silver Hill scheme in Tamerton Foliot to deliver 38 homes for both open market sale and shared ownership purchase.
“Construction on the 21 units still under construction is at varying stages.
“We will work with Halsall Homes to see if there is a solution to ensure work on site at Silver Hill can be completed.
“In the meantime, we are doing our best to support residents. The warranty provider for the completed homes at Silver Hill is the National House Building Council (NHBC).
“The responsibility for resolving any defects in the 17 occupied properties rests with Halsall Homes under the joint venture agreement with PCHR.
“As Halsall Homes is still operational, defects should still be reported to Halsall – either by buyers directly if they are open market buyers in their second year of residency, or first to PCH for open market buyers in their first year, or shared owners.
“The correct contact information for both Halsall and PCH in case of reporting defects is included in residents’ Home User Guides. In either the first or second year of residency, buyers can also report defects to NHBC if they are not being rectified by Halsall Homes.”
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Plymouth City Council did not wish to comment.
The Sun has also approached Halsall Homes.
