Yet more issues with Persimmon Homes properties!
In this 'development' free-for-all which we currently witness in Kernow, where Cornwall Council appears to have given up and handed the developers free rein to build over-priced houses, wherever they please, the word is that a whistle-blower is urging home owners to have their properties inspected to make sure they are not missing essential fire safety barriers after claiming the problem is widespread.
We don't suppose many locals would be able to afford the buildings being slung up, but we do feel rather for some of the new arrivals moving to our land from across the Tamar.
Mind you, we again ask, where are the jobs and the public services for these incomers?
An arrogant planning inspector brought down from Bristol to a public hearing in Newquay overruled all local objections and a massed protest against Cornwall's unsustainable house-building plans. Open rows broke out between Cornish campaigners and the unelected and unaccountable bullying Bristol-based civil servant (Simon Emerson, now a developers' consultant; O the irony!).
Now, an anonymous Persimmon employee has alleged that homes have failed inspections at a housing development in Exeter, and claims there are other sites which have the same issues.
A 'ferocious' blaze in a Persimmon build broke out in Exeter last April and spread into the roof spaces of two of the adjoining properties.
Persimmon Homes have completed various 'developments' across Devon and Cornwall and have previously refused to answer vital questions about properties, including how many have failed vital fire safety barrier inspections.
Apparently they will not respond to leaked information from whistle-blowers.
It has been said that of 135 residents on one local development who have so far disclosed their inspection findings, the homes of 65% of them have currently failed across the whole housing development.
Persimmon Homes has hit the media many times in Cornwall with poor standards which have caused public protest and warnings from current owners to avoid the company.
Persimmon Homes was in the news during 2018 when former chief executive Jeff Fairburn left the company following huge blow up about its bonus scheme which is believed to be the most generous from a FTSE 100 company. In 2018, he had been in line for a £128m payout before it was scaled back to £75m in the face of political and public outrage.
Links:
www.thesun.co.uk/news/6819349/persimmon-newquay-posters-warning-not-to-buy-cornwall/
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-44879858
www.cornwalllive.com/persimmon-homes-whistleblower-says-home-2460801
www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/scandalous-persimmon-homes-argues-over-1547506
www.sharecast.com/news/news-and-announcements/persimmon--3404428.html
https://eastdevonwatch.org/2016/02/22/beware-developers-in-this-case-persimmon-bearing-gifts/
Trustpilot reviews of Persimmon Homes: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.persimmonhomes.com
So whilst A&E collapses under the pressure, Treliske Hospital lives on Black Alert daily and nightly, schools are now fully booked and bursting at the seams, with so little funding they are fast jumping into bed with dubious profit-driven academies, our kids and elderly develop more and more respiratory diseases due to the exponential traffic problems merged with Cornwall's topography, and the police, fire and ambulance services fight a raging numbers fire, Cornwall Council planning department, under the auspices Kate Kennally and her triumvirate of development John Betty, Phil Mason and Bob Egerton, positively encourage ever more poorly constructed "slums of tomorrow". It's not their fault, dear of 'em, it's the government, stupid... Shame on them all for destroying this beautiful, historic and thin strip of land.
Comments on FB relating to Persimmon Homes:
“I worked for a day on the Newquay site it was shocking”
“Continuous building in towns of Cornwall is ridiculous because we have not got the infrastructure! When towns were first built the roads were designed in a way that accepted relatively smaller volume of traffic. Or roads are not able to cope and heck roads that were built decades ago are still being used and lorries now travel across them. We, the people who know our county and infrastructure, should be making these decisions and not people from Bristol or London who wouldn't know a Cornish pasty from a Devon pastry.”
“Many years ago as a Chartered Surveyor, I carried out mortgage valuations on new build houses. These would entail initial site visits followed by stage inspections as the buildings progressed. It was commonplace to refuse to 'pass' a building if the work was sub standard therefore the mortgage was not granted and the purchase delayed until we surveyors were satisfied. Similarly local authority building inspectors would or should ensure that standards were maintained. Does this no longer happen and if not, then why?”
“The only way to stop this is to boycott and no one purchase them”
“A profit lead mess. Several years ago Nick Clegg, then deputy PM, came to St Stephen. Two builders questioned him re the proposed 47k house building target. Both men stated that they had evidence that only sub 20k was needed and that they also had evidence of corruption. After oily words nothing more was heard! I built my granite faced, slate roof, underfloor heated, fitted bungalow for 47 thousand pounds - all else is labour and profit. Persimmon should be renamed Midas.”
“So the can give former CEO 75 million golden handshake”
“Having worked for said company a few years ago, it sounds like nothing has changed.
Personally I wouldn’t have a Persimmon house given to me. Them and most of the big companies are churning out crap, building tomorrow’s slums today should be their mantra.”
“Should not be allowed to Carry on Building''
“Unfortunately this is the policy of this government build, build and build; they are that mentally challenged they don’t realise that we need the services to go with them: police, fire, hospitals… I could go on, but politicians are too busy lining their own pockets to bother about the public”
“I think if you come across anything which seems illegal which could prove a pain to Cornwall Council or its planners, we should start looking for people to complain to, we could start with https://www.sfo.gov.uk/.../reporting-serious-fraud.../
“Don’t know about jolly old England but here in BC Canada we have building inspectors employed by the city, who pay regular visits to building projects to make sure they are building to current codes. Even then, some of the ‘shady’ builders try to cut corners & sometimes get caught.”
“Most new build homes are far too small, unaffordable, and I can only comment about my current property, the kitchen cupboards are too narrow fit in a standard size dinner plate! Thankfully, I'm only renting while I find a plot, which will be built on by a small, local and excellent company. People should not have to put up with substandard housing. And while we're on the subject, ya boo sucks to Wimpey for the cost of their properties in the Wadebridge area.”
“Homes in Cornwall I recently witnessed on a drive down to collect children for hols were quite frankly laughable,tiny toy town units not fit for purpose with gardens size of postage stamps.”
“All because of Mr. Backhander from Cornwall Cunty Cuntcil turning a blind eye. Cornwall will be England sooner rather than later.”
“What about other builders In Cornwall. What about Bovis Homes???”
“I live in Taunton and they are building everywhere. Throwing them up would be a more appropriate way of saying it. They look like cardboard boxes while under construction. We would never buy one of their properties.”
And regarding last week's story and Cornwall Council's bias towards large developers:
"This story is true. Yet, when I put small advertising boards out for 2 hours a day at the weekend advertising my business I was very quickly threatened with the Magistrates Court by the Council. The planning department said that it had a policy of preventing advertising signs at the sides of roads as they could distract drivers. But big signs alongside a busy A road advertising developments can stand for 3 years without planning and no action will be taken: even after complaints. I have been reluctant to use this word before but sadly I am: this is CORRUPTION. Cornwall Council, your misdeeds have been uncovered."
"The good news is that each supporter of this petition can now advertise it with the same size advertisement in their garden, now that everything seems legal. How much do these planners and council people sound like dictators?"
"This is beyond belief. The cavalier attitude of Phil Mason and his planners is a disgrace and should lead to his resignation forthwith. Advertising hoardings are a massive intrusion at the best of times but such flagrant disregard for the rules shames our council."
"That Cornwall Council assists Developers was self evident at the East Sub-Area Planning Committee meeting on 4th March in Bodmin. PA18/08551 application for outline planning permission was passed despite a lot of local opposition (it was standing room only) including the town council. Not one of our three Cornwall Councillors spoke for us. In the end the Chair told the committee members, several didn't like the application, they couldn't vote against because if it went to appeal it could cost Cornwall Council money. One committee member asked 'why have we just wasted one and a half hours talking about it'."