Years of Delay and Disrepair: Barleythorpe Councillors Demand Action from Allison Homes
Newly elected ward councillor for Barleythorpe, Cllr Andrew Dinsmore (Conservative) and Cllr Tracy Carr, (Independent) have written a strongly worded letter to Allison Homes, demanding urgent action and a clear timetable to resolve a litany of long-standing issues, most notably the failure to complete road construction on the Oakham Heights estate after over 14 years. The councillors highlight a pervasive atmosphere of frustration and daily difficulty for residents caused by the developer's protracted delays and alleged neglect of estate infrastructure.
The letter, dated September 29, 2025, details a comprehensive list of unresolved problems, signaling that the issues are not recent oversights but rather a cumulative crisis stretching back over a decade, with Allison Homes having taken over the site from Larkfleet Homes several years ago.
The most critical issue is the failure to finish the construction and subsequently achieve adoption of the estate roads. According to the councillors, residents were promised completion and handover by April 2024, a date that was repeatedly pushed back to December 2024, and then to June 2025. Despite an Allison Homes representative indicating to a planning meeting on April 15, 2025, that they were working "at pace," the councillors assert there has been no "meaningful progress."
The lack of road adoption has created serious, daily practical difficulties:
Unfinished roads and ongoing parking issues especially near junctions and on corners make navigating the estate difficult and unsafe.
Reports indicate cars are fully mounting the pavement to park, forcing people using pushchairs, mobility scooters, and wheelchairs onto the road.
Completion is a necessary prerequisite for Rutland County Council to adopt the roads and for residents to take over full management of the estate, currently held in limbo.
The councillors are demanding a written explanation for the decade-long delay and a "clear and fixed timetable" for construction completion. They specifically address historical claims of drainage issues, requesting a detailed breakdown of the problem, its impact on roadworks, the resolution plan, and a firm timeline if drainage is still a factor.
Neglected Infrastructure and Environmental Risks
Beyond the roads, the councillors raise several other areas of alleged disrepair and neglect:
Areas of land with planning permission, such as those near the top of Hackamore Way and Maresfield Road junction with Lands’ End Way, are described as overgrown and littered with broken fencing and dumped building materials. Residents view these areas as an "eyesore," and the disrepair is reportedly making it difficult to safely exit junctions. The councillors are demanding an urgent explanation and plan to tidy these areas.
Issues with broken signs, overgrown footpaths, and paths in disrepair (including the Linear Park) have been reported for months without resolution. A timeline for these essential repairs is being sought.
Urgent Brook Clearance and Flooding Risk
Allison Homes is understood to have commenced clearance works on the brook but has stalled due to a badger sett. Given that the blockage has contributed to serious flooding in Barleythorpe over the past two winters, the clearance is deemed a matter of "urgency." The councillors are requesting an update on the application to Natural England for a licence to proceed and a date for the removal of remaining debris.
Tree Maintenance Responsibility Dispute
A final point of contention is the responsibility for maintenance of trees on the Main Road in Barleythorpe. Residents were allegedly not informed that these trees would be their responsibility when purchasing their properties. The councillors are concerned about this being raised as an issue by Rutland County Council (RCC) and have requested Allison Homes' correspondence with the RCC highways team, indicating they intend to take the issue up with the Council themselves.
Calls for a Resolution and Accountability
In an effort to streamline the process and ensure accountability, the councillors have copied Alicia Kearns MP into the correspondence. The letter concludes with a request for a meeting between a representative from Allison Homes, residents, the Interim Directors for Oakham Heights Open Spaces Management, and the Parish Council.
The ongoing situation represents a profound long-term issue where a lack of developer follow-through has translated into significant safety hazards, environmental risks, and a diminished quality of life for residents of the over decade-old estate. The community is, understandably, demanding immediate and firm commitments to finally complete the work.
The Letter:
29 September 2025
Dear Allison Homes,
I write to introduce myself as the recently elected Councillor for Barleythorpe Ward on Rutland County Council, along with my fellow Ward Councillor, Cllr Carr.
We write in relation to (i) road construction; (ii) open space disrepair; (iii) issues with signs and footpaths; (iv) brook clearance to prevent flooding; and (v) tree maintenance. We have copied Alicia Kearns MP to streamline correspondence on these issues.
1. Road Construction
During the election, one of the key issues that residents raised was the fact that you have still not finished construction of the roads on the estate, despite the estate being over 14 years old and you having taken over from Larkfleet Homes several years ago.
I was informed by residents that in recent years you have promised to complete road construction and to hand over management of the estate by April 2024. This then moved to December 2024 and again to June 2025. At a planning meeting on 15 April 2025, the Allison Homes representative indicated that they are working at pace to complete the estate so that the adoption process can proceed. However, there has still not been any meaningful progress on completing road construction. This is a necessary step to Rutland County Council adopting the roads and for the residents to take over management of the estate.
The lack of road adoption is causing serious practical difficulties affecting residents on a daily basis. Please see attached a zip file of photos that highlight the issues that residents have raised with us. They not only show the unfinished roads but also the ongoing parking issues (especially opposite junctions and on road corners), which makes it difficult to safely navigate the Oakham Heights estate. It’s also been reported that cars are fully mounting the pavement to park which means pushchair/mobility scooters/wheelchairs are forced onto the road.
Once the roads are completed, Cllr Carr and I will then liaise with residents and the Council to seek to have the roads adopted and for residents to take over full management of the estate.
2. Open Spaces Disrepair
I also attach photographs that show areas of land (which have planning permission) that are overgrown and littered with broken fencing and dumped building materials. This is making it extremely difficult to safely exit the junction and numerous residents have indicated that these areas are an eyesore. Can you please provide an explanation as to what is happening to tidy up these areas i.e. top of Hackamore Way and Maresfield Road junction with Lands’ End Way?
3. Signs and Footpaths
It’s also been brought to our attention that there are broken signs, overgrown footpaths and foot paths in disrepair (e.g. Linear Park). These were reported several months ago and still haven’t been fixed. Could you please indicate when these issues will be addressed?
4. Brook Clearance to prevent flooding
We understand that you have commenced clearance works in relation to the brook but that those works have stalled owing to a badger sett. We would be grateful if you could keep us updated on the progress of your application to Natural England for a licence to clear that and when you expect to be able to clear the remain debris. As you know, there has been serious flooding in Barleythorpe in the last couple of winters owing to the blockage of the brook. It is therefore a matter of urgency that this be resolved as soon as possible.
5. Tree Maintenance Responsibility
We understand that there is an issue regarding responsibility for the maintenance of the trees on the Main Road in Barleythorpe. As you will be aware, residents were not informed that those trees would be their responsibility when they purchased their properties. We are surprised, and concerned, that this is being raised as an issue by Rutland County Council. As such, we would be grateful if you could provide your correspondence with the highways team in RCC as we intend to take this issue up with them.
Requests
We therefore write to request:-
an explanation as to why the roads have not yet been completed; for a clear and fixed timetable by which you will complete construction of the roads; an urgent explanation as to when the issues with the open spaces, signs and footpaths will be addressed; when the brook will be cleared to prevent flooding; and your correspondence with RCC in relation to responsibility for the trees on the Main Road.
As to the historical explanations for the delays in road construction based on drainage issue, we understand that those concerns no longer prevent progress being made. In so far as that is incorrect and drainage remains an issue, we would be grateful if you could explain, specifically:-
what the problem with drainage is;
why that is interfering with road construction / completion; what needs to be done to resolve the drainage problems; what you are doing to fix such issues; and a clear timetable in which it will be resolved and the consequent timetable in which roads will be completed. The road construction issue has been ongoing for over a decade. Residents are, understandably, frustrated by the lack of progress and the other issues noted above. Further to the written explanation request, several residents, the Interim Directors for Oakham Heights Open Spaces Management and the Parish Council would welcome a meeting with a representative from Allison Homes to discuss this further and we’re happy to coordinate/organise a meeting.
Please let us know when your representative could be available but in the meantime we look forward to your written explanation on the above.
Kind regards,
Cllr Andrew Dinsmore & Cllr Tracy Carr
Barleythorpe Ward
Rutland County Council
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