Riverside House hit out at Taylor Wimpey over delayed open space work

The Riverside House project is situated in a pocket of land next to the canal, which now neighbours to the ambitious Titan Wharf housing estate being developed by Taylor Wimpey.

However, the charity’s founder has voiced his frustration over what he called “long overdue plans” to complete mandated public open space work part of the housing development, which happens to be located outside the entrance to Riverside House.

Lloyd Stacey said the entrance to the Grade II listed social regeneration project is in such a poor state that it is causing inconveniences and difficulties for visitors, many of whom, he said, have disabilities or additional needs.

“As a director of a company centred around the best interests of the community, I will always challenge private sector companies who priorities profit at the detriment of others,” Mr Stacey said.

The public open space work Taylor Wimpey must complete was mandated as part of a Section 106 agreement that made up part of the initial Titan Wharf planning application.

Mr Stacey said there was a “trigger point” where, once a certain number of houses were built, the work must start, but he said that threshold has been passed.

However, the housing developer has said an “invasive weed” has meant the work cannot yet be completed.

Centred around an eco-conscious ethos, the charity has been left frustrated by not just the appearance of the space, which is uneven and, in wet weather, very muddy, but also its potential and accessibility issues and hazards to visitors.

In the run-up to Christmas, calling out Taylor Wimpey directly, Mr Stacey shared a message on social media calling for the works to be completed in the new year.

Addressing the developer in a social media post, he said: “Merry Christmas to all at Taylor Wimpey.

“Thank you so much for leaving the entrance to Riverside House in such a s*** state and doing nothing to remedy it.

“It is so lovely that you care for the communities that you build houses in like you say you do in your marketing material.

“Let's hope the ghost of Christmas future gets his act together and does something to improve the situation in 2026!”

In response, a Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: “We apologise for the delay and we would like to assure the local community that we remain committed to completing the works as quickly as possible.

“Initial investigations identified the presence of an invasive weed in this area, which required further treatment before we are able to start the required works to the POS.

“We are currently in the process of retesting the area to ensure that the treatment was successful, and until this is complete, we are unable to instruct the necessary works.

“We are working closely with the local authority and will continue to keep them informed of our progress."