| Westwater Homes contacted the 35 owner-occupiers of The Logan at Liff requesting a contribution of £1600 per household towards the costs of making up the potholed road.
But Sidlaw West councillor Frank Ellis was astounded and has told residents not to pay up.
In a letter to residents, Charles Elphinstone of Westwater Homes said the developer was willing to contribute £28,195 towards the repair costs — about a third of the estimated £84,195 total.
He said, “What we would propose for the benefit of all concerned is that we carry out all the works to bring the roads up to adoptable standard and then have them adopted by the local authority.
“Whilst some owners will benefit more than others from this proposal, everyone will benefit by paying less than the title deeds provide. Additionally the amenity and potentially the value of all properties will be enhanced by these works.”
Councillor Ellis said he believed the company was wholly responsible for upgrading The Logan and said his contention was supported by planning papers.
He said, “I received a call from a resident basically very concerned and angry that the company doing the development had sent a letter suggesting there were a couple of options to upgrade the Logan and asking the proprietors to make a contribution of £1600 each.
“Westwater received permission to build eight houses on May 6, 2004. The eight houses exceeded what was in the local plan.
“What the council said was they would support more houses, but only if The Logan was taken up to adoptable standard and that was accepted by the company.
“The Logan Road has been deteriorating for years because it is not adopted.
“I supported the application fully because the developer had agreed he was going to fund the upgrading of the road.
“I am seething that they have tried to get money out of these residents and caused them a lot of worry.
“I have contacted the head of the legal department and head of infrastructure services for an early meeting to resolve this.
“What I said in my initial letter to constituents was to do nothing until I got back to them.
“I talked to residents and all were very angry they had received such a letter.
“It was their understanding that in terms of the planning condition it was the company and not them that was to take the road up to adoptable standard.” |
