Flooding and stray building site rubbish plagues 'playground' in Northampton neighbourhood

The park in Harcourt Way, Hunsbury, has been branded "dangerous and unfinished" by residents.

Abandoned construction-site fencing, stray building materials and flooding are just some of the issues homeowners in Harcourt Way, Hunsbury, have had with the new playground by Bloor Homes.

The park was built by Bloor Homes to "give something back to the community" when they developed a range of new houses last year.

But residents say the developers have "broken their promise".

Flooding and stray construction materials have raised complaints amongst residents.

Ray McKenna, a homeowner near Harcourt Way, said: "You should see the state of it. It's a dangerous, hazardous, unfinished mess with building materials left lying around and unsafe access to the carriageway which any child could wander onto."

Ray's photos show piles of construction fencing, flooded play equipment and a two-foot iron rebar sticking out of the grass.

Northampton Borough Council has confirmed they have not adopted the park and it is still under the management of its developers.

Ray said: "We've got quite a lot of young families who want their children to go out and play at the new park. Well, that's not going to happen.

Flooding has been a problem for footpaths and play equipment like this four-way seesaw.

"I would ask Bloor to pull their finger out. They've broken promises by saying they would get something back of the community. They've left it unfinished.

"The planning of the park is terrible anyway. Who in their right mind would put a park at the bottom of a big hill where it floods all the time?"

A spokesman for Bloor Homes South Midlands said: “Scheduled drainage works will commence tomorrow (April 24) on the pocket park at our Hunsbury Fields development. Once this has been completed, we will be able to offer the park for adoption by the local authority.

“Although the park is now open to the public, we are required to keep the children’s play area fenced off until the park has been adopted, and we apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.

“We have been contacted by a local resident regarding a piece of rebar on the park which was removed today (Monday, April 23) whilst any other items which should not be on the site will be removed tomorrow morning (April 24).”