MP gives support to residents who are ‘stuck in inaccessible new housing estate' on outskirts of Leamington and Warwick

Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western meets residents of The Priors who say they are 'stuck' out on the new estate off Europa Way because of a lack of safe pedestrian access and bus services.

Residents have hit out at developers for leaving them ‘stuck in an inaccessible housing estate’ on the outskirts of Warwick and Leamington.

Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western has met several of the families from The Priors development off Europa Way near the Shires retail park.

At the meeting, the residents shared their anger about the 'complete lack of safe pedestrian routes into Leamington' and say they have even been forced to pay for taxis to take their children to nursery or go to the shops.

Residents of The Priors housing estate say this footpath - which is their only pedestrian access to Leamington at present - is currently unsafe to use.

They have complained that it is impossible to leave the estate other than by car and there are also no bus routes.

As a result, they are seeking immediate access to safe pedestrian routes into Leamington, permanent street lighting to be immediately installed and gravel to be laid on a muddy path that leads into town, – which they also want widened to accommodate pushchairs.

Residents say they would not have moved to the estate had they known the situation would have been like this for them after several months of living there.

Mother of one Lily Hawtin said: “It’s been awful.

“I can’t get into Leamington without travelling down a dangerous, muddy path – which is without any lighting and is pitch black in the dark.

“I don’t drive and often I’m forced to pay for an Uber to get my daughter to nursery in town – which is completely unaffordable.

“When we first moved in, we were assured that there was a safe pedestrian entry and exit to the estate.

“This was a lie.

“My neighbour currently cannot send her son to school due to the lack of pedestrian access.

“My daughter starts school in September, and I am under constant stress thinking I could be in the same situation.

"A safe route of entry and exit to the estate should have been the top priority.

Mr Western says he has contacted the developers of the estate Linden Homes, and will speak with regional councils to express the demands of the group.

He said: “This just shows the complete disregard for the families that move into these poorly built and inaccessible housing estates.

“The infrastructure is just not in place to be convenient or even to be conducive for a good quality of life.

“I’d go as far as suggesting that young families who have had to pay for taxis to get to the shops or to school should be reimbursed by these highly profitable companies who have failed them.”

Linden has said: "We share the frustration of residents and will continue to work proactively with all stakeholders to find a resolution to this issue.

"Unfortunately the access situation is not completely in our control because of the neighbouring development.

"We have advised residents that we are doing all we can, and are in dialogue with the neighbouring housebuilder to facilitate the opening up of these access points (pedestrian and road) as soon as possible."