'Houses worth coming home to' - that's how 'Winter Folly', a small enclave of 22 semi-detached houses built in 1998 near Basildon, Essex, were advertised by housebuilder Lovell Partnership Ltd.
Sounds idyllic - and for the people who lived there it was, at first.
But in 2007 eight of the homes had to be repurchased by Lovell because they were found to be suffering from subsidence. The residents began moving out and the houses were boarded up. Since then those eight properties have remained empty.
Initially the half-derelict estate was merely an eye-sore for the remaining residents living in the 14 unaffected properties. But soon the empty houses became a magnet for vandalism, fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour. It was no longer the tranquil community the residents had envisaged when they bought their properties.
One resident, Sonia White, says that when she moved to Winter Folly she thought she was buying into an area that was completely divorced from what she'd left behind in London, the noise and crime.
However, since the defective properties were vacated Sonia describes a very different reality.
Sonia says: "Almost immediately, vandals from outside the estate came and helped themselves to whatever they could from outside and inside the properties, breaking and entering, looting."
She adds: "We've had incidents of people fly tipping, driving in, leaving tyres and old TV sets, stereos, and so on. It's just been one disaster after another."
In addition to the negative attention generated by the boarded up properties, there are problems with security where the perimeter fence around some of the empty houses has fallen into disrepair.
Sonia has witnessed 'teenagers breaking in with nothing to do' usually by coming in the fence from the back of the property causing damage. Some when challenged say: "you know it's Friday there's nothing else to do so we'll go down to Winter Folly and hang out there."
Since 2007 the police have been called to Winter Folly on various occasions to deal with anti-social behaviour. Sonia, whose house is adjacent to the derelict properties, says she feels like the gatekeeper for the rest of the estate.
The residents of the 14 unaffected properties formed the Winter Folly Residents Association (WFRA) in an effort to open a dialogue with Lovell and resolve the problems on the estate as quickly as possible. Two and a half years and many letters later the WFRA have been disappointed with Lovell's response.
Chairman Eric Callow says: "Initially we tried to telephone, but the phone was put down on me so we resorted to letters, but we had very little response. There was no indication of what they intended to do regarding the development. What the plans might be and how long it would take."
Sonia, who is secretary of the WFRA, says although Lovell eventually addressed the security problems it has made only 'small concessions'.
More pressing, however, is the overriding issue of redevelopment.
To date Lovell has submitted four planning applications for the site, the first of which was in 2007. Three of these submissions have been recommended for refusal and one has been fully refused by Basildon District Council. Lovell is still trying to agree plans to rebuild 13 houses on the site where the eight derelict properties stand. Sonia is angry and claims that Lovell has not adequately consulted the WFRA regarding redevelopment.
Sonia says: "Lovell refuses to engage in any meaningful dialogue as to the future of the estates."
She feels unhappy that Lovell is resubmitting planning applications for 13 houses instead of eight and would much rather see the estate rebuilt as it was originally. Sonia just wants a house and a neighbourhood that's worth coming home to.
"It's just been a nightmare scenario for two and a half years and it's got to end, it's got to end now," says Sonia.
Lovell statement
"We have made every effort to secure the properties in Winter Folly introducing a range of measures including sealing doors and windows with steel shutters, installing fencing and taking advice from the police. We are fully aware of the problems that antisocial behaviour in the location has caused for residents and obviously, very much regret this and want this situation to be resolved through the redevelopment of the site.
"We want to replace the existing eight properties with new family housing for sale. We completed the purchase of the eight homes at the site in July 2007 and since then have put forward two planning applications which have been recommended for refusal, for various reasons, by Basildon District Council. After working closely with the council's planning department, we submitted our latest planning application which was turned down in March on the grounds that the parking provision was insufficient, despite the fact that it meets national planning policy guidelines.
"Our aim remains to redevelop the site with new family housing - an outcome which will resolve the problems at the location - and we are doing everything we can to achieve this. Our application to demolish the eight existing properties is currently with the council."
Have you experienced any similar issues? Email us at Got a story? and we will investigate.
Winter Folly housing
Sounds idyllic - and for the people who lived there it was, at first.
But in 2007 eight of the homes had to be repurchased by Lovell because they were found to be suffering from subsidence. The residents began moving out and the houses were boarded up. Since then those eight properties have remained empty.
Initially the half-derelict estate was merely an eye-sore for the remaining residents living in the 14 unaffected properties. But soon the empty houses became a magnet for vandalism, fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour. It was no longer the tranquil community the residents had envisaged when they bought their properties.
One resident, Sonia White, says that when she moved to Winter Folly she thought she was buying into an area that was completely divorced from what she'd left behind in London, the noise and crime.
However, since the defective properties were vacated Sonia describes a very different reality.
Sonia says: "Almost immediately, vandals from outside the estate came and helped themselves to whatever they could from outside and inside the properties, breaking and entering, looting."
She adds: "We've had incidents of people fly tipping, driving in, leaving tyres and old TV sets, stereos, and so on. It's just been one disaster after another."
In addition to the negative attention generated by the boarded up properties, there are problems with security where the perimeter fence around some of the empty houses has fallen into disrepair.
Sonia has witnessed 'teenagers breaking in with nothing to do' usually by coming in the fence from the back of the property causing damage. Some when challenged say: "you know it's Friday there's nothing else to do so we'll go down to Winter Folly and hang out there."
Since 2007 the police have been called to Winter Folly on various occasions to deal with anti-social behaviour. Sonia, whose house is adjacent to the derelict properties, says she feels like the gatekeeper for the rest of the estate.
The residents of the 14 unaffected properties formed the Winter Folly Residents Association (WFRA) in an effort to open a dialogue with Lovell and resolve the problems on the estate as quickly as possible. Two and a half years and many letters later the WFRA have been disappointed with Lovell's response.
Chairman Eric Callow says: "Initially we tried to telephone, but the phone was put down on me so we resorted to letters, but we had very little response. There was no indication of what they intended to do regarding the development. What the plans might be and how long it would take."
Sonia, who is secretary of the WFRA, says although Lovell eventually addressed the security problems it has made only 'small concessions'.
More pressing, however, is the overriding issue of redevelopment.
To date Lovell has submitted four planning applications for the site, the first of which was in 2007. Three of these submissions have been recommended for refusal and one has been fully refused by Basildon District Council. Lovell is still trying to agree plans to rebuild 13 houses on the site where the eight derelict properties stand. Sonia is angry and claims that Lovell has not adequately consulted the WFRA regarding redevelopment.
Sonia says: "Lovell refuses to engage in any meaningful dialogue as to the future of the estates."
She feels unhappy that Lovell is resubmitting planning applications for 13 houses instead of eight and would much rather see the estate rebuilt as it was originally. Sonia just wants a house and a neighbourhood that's worth coming home to.
"It's just been a nightmare scenario for two and a half years and it's got to end, it's got to end now," says Sonia.
Lovell statement
"We have made every effort to secure the properties in Winter Folly introducing a range of measures including sealing doors and windows with steel shutters, installing fencing and taking advice from the police. We are fully aware of the problems that antisocial behaviour in the location has caused for residents and obviously, very much regret this and want this situation to be resolved through the redevelopment of the site.
"We want to replace the existing eight properties with new family housing for sale. We completed the purchase of the eight homes at the site in July 2007 and since then have put forward two planning applications which have been recommended for refusal, for various reasons, by Basildon District Council. After working closely with the council's planning department, we submitted our latest planning application which was turned down in March on the grounds that the parking provision was insufficient, despite the fact that it meets national planning policy guidelines.
"Our aim remains to redevelop the site with new family housing - an outcome which will resolve the problems at the location - and we are doing everything we can to achieve this. Our application to demolish the eight existing properties is currently with the council."
Have you experienced any similar issues? Email us at Got a story? and we will investigate.
Winter Folly housing