The Oval Building Site

[DILLIGAF]

It has come to my attention that there has been a considerable amount of anger & frustration at the regeneration of 'The Oval' over on Mybook Facespace or whatever it is? In particular, construction traffic and muddy roads etc. As I have been briefed, the case is, that someone will get run over by the construction traffic, excessive amounts of mud on the roads and health and safety issues amongst others; One jolly fellow even posted the site managers phone number and email , the disbelief! Its not that hard to find!!

As I live on said construction site, in their defence, they have two sweepers constantly on the go daily, one is done by the forklift drivers with a big brush, the other is a contracted Wye Valley scarab thingy! The construction traffic will always allow traffic to pass where feasible, and wait if you are approaching. The trouble is really from other road users who have no consideration when parking at the oval and those who are racing around the site trying to short-cut the Belmont road traffic; many times I have had a near miss from oncoming traffic, who are speeding and unaware of the the Highway Code.

Then you have the school walk folk moaning about how their kids are going to get knocked over on the road! Hello! - What are they doing on the road in the first place? As I too do the nursery ride, I use the lines, gaining entry from Newman Close, avoiding most of the construction traffic and using the highway code, and not using the Belmont road entry as most of these 'moaners' do. There is also the Ethelstan Crescent entry for those that live further up.

As for Health and Safety, quit the fags, do more exercise than just walking the kids to school and keep your kids under control; You may live longer and keep your kids safe in the process! There are frequent site visits from H&S personnel, and I’m damn sure if there were any issues they will be dealt with immediately.

Oh and as of Monday 11th the Oval road will be shut.   So you'll have to walk further or use Goodrich Grove. The Oval Shops will be open for business as normal.

 

Rant over.

If someone would like to share to the Facespace page please do.

Rich, Neil, Dave and the Keepmoat team have kept me happy.

[Denise Lloyd]

Dilligaf it was me Denise Lloyd who brought up the Health and Safety issue on Facebook and clearly it is an issue if young Mums and their toddlers push chairs prams and all that travels with them are allowed to walk amongst the construction vehicles.  Carry on ranting if it makes you feel better but do not take a side swipe at me! 

[DILLIGAF]

I'm not taking swipes at anyone Denise. Thanks for being honest. I know pedestrian safety is paramount among construction works. It is all fenced off, pedestrian areas are clearly marked and footpaths kept clear where possible. ( if not safe pedestrian access barriers are erected). If these parents are concerned about the construction traffic, then maybe they should keep a closer eye on the children and construction vehicles to anticipate movement, make the drivers aware you are there, it works for me; or avoid the area completely? Like I previously said, there are other 'blase' routes. Most parents I've encountered 'on the run' have their face in the phone or too busy gossiping two pushchairs abreast forcing others into the road, not even watching where the kids are. Not all but most. This week alone I have nearly hit 3 children on my bike, on the road and I wasn't going fast. Lack of education I believe, as you said "young mums"!

[Glenda Powell]

As I live across the road from this development I have to say it is dangerous, I went to the Ovals shops this afternoon and nearly fell with all the mud and surface water on the roads, the problem is also the construction workers park their cars on the grass verge and road across from me, together with the construction traffic coming past every few minutes it has turned the road into a one-way system. It was also total caos at 7.30am this morning there was no space on the road from Charlton Ave to belmont road the traffic was at a standstill for 30 minutes. Also last week my sister also nearly fell on the muddy road. they don't need the sweeper but a wash down of the roads. I have told Rich the site manager on several occasions about this, and give him his due he sent the sweeper a few minutes later. But you do take your life in your hands walking between Charlton Ave and the Oval, personally I have had enough of it and we have got another 18 months of this until the development is completed!

[Denise Lloyd]

"It is an offence under Section 148 of the Highways Act 1980 to allow mud or other debris to be transmitted onto the public highway. The attention of the applicant is drawn to the need to keep the highway free from any mud or other material emanating from the application site or any works pertaining thereto."

 

Taken from the decision notice for this PA

[twowheelsgood]

Road sweepers after the event are not the answer - its an easy cop out by contractors, and Denise is right that mud should not be transmitted onto the highway, and that includes pavements. There should be wheel washers on the site - this is standard practice and they are readily available. Likewise contractors vehicle parking is controlled by the planning permission with demarcated areas.

 

This is a planning enforcement issue, as well as a public safety one - Glenda, I would suggest that you are well placed to report this to planning enforcement, and a phone call  to the Police wouldn't go amiss either.

 

Lets not forget someone was killed on the Abergavenny road a few years ago after skidding their car on mud left on the road by a farmer. 

[Denise Lloyd]

Thank you TWG. Reading through the comments on the FB it is an accident waiting to happen pedestrians all amongst the construction vehicles and such a prominent place unbelievable  

[Glenda Powell]

TWG The sweeper was around tonight after dark sweeping the road outside my home. when I was a councillor I had arranged with the council for the construction staff to park their vehicles in the unused car park in Waterfield Road, they would not do it claiming the car park was to far away for them to park there. My door and windows are filthy from all the mud off the road spraying my home. I clean the door and window sills every day because they are white, between the mud and the road flooding  its a mess, and now next week they are closing the road around the Oval just making it one-way for some time. It is total caos here, and nobody cares. As this development is HHL they should be fined in my opinion they have employed the contractors to build their housing.

[K.Butt]

TWG The sweeper was around tonight after dark sweeping the road outside my home. when I was a councillor I had arranged with the council for the construction staff to park their vehicles in the unused car park in Waterfield Road, they would not do it claiming the car park was to far away for them to park there. My door and windows are filthy from all the mud off the road spraying my home. I clean the door and window sills every day because they are white, between the mud and the road flooding  its a mess, and now next week they are closing the road around the Oval just making it one-way for some time. It is total caos here, and nobody cares. As this development is HHL they should be fined in my opinion they have employed the contractors to build their housing.

 

Fined? Fined for what? Because we have had loads of rain which turns building sites into mud? Get real Glenda, this is a major building development, what did you expect? This area will be less dirty in the summer but I am not sure what more they can do. 

[Denise Lloyd]

K Butt you say "This is a major building site" and should be treated as such 

[DILLIGAF]

Shall I ask Keepmoat to shut the oval early and also Kilvert road at the junctions of Trilleck & Charlton, access for the handful of occupying residents only? Then shoppers can park in Beattie avenue and use the crossing to access to the oval shops. Foot pedestrians can use either Waterfield rd & Goodrich gr and Belmont road, or the lines, over the bridge and down the other side and again use the crossing, both of which are now largely construction traffic free.

Keeps everybody safe and the Oval still gets its business. Everybody happy? Sorry I can't help the weather.

On a positive note, Keepmoat are aware of this topic on here, and also on facespace.

[DILLIGAF]

This area will be less dirty in the summer but I am not sure what more they can do.

Ahhh but the mud then turns to dust clouds, making the air chewy!! If we get summer that is! ;)

Tasty.

[Denise Lloyd]

Perhaps the Site Foreman or whatever his job title is would to care to read the condiitons attached to the Decision Notice with especial reference to condiiton 22 or Informative 8

 

https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/documents?id=cf529b8b-63e1-11e3-af54-0050569f00ad

 

It is not the public whinging and moaning it is a matter of safety to the public and I don't care if you Dilligaf are mates with site staff it is irellevant.

 

Keepmoat are a huge concern throughout the country and should conduct themselves accordingly. 

[twowheelsgood]

Glenda, HHL have no liability. Planning enforcement have the power to stop work on site if conditions are not being complied with and creating a serious hazard - as do, in addition, the HSE. As I said, someone needs to submit a complaint to either to trigger action. If contractors are under threat of the site being closed down, they will sort it out, because, bottom line, it will cost them otherwise.

[Glenda Powell]

TWG, sorry to contridict you  but HHL had to abide by the conditions for this development laid down by the council planning officers and others to get their application approved, which has now gone out of the window, they also have a steering group which all the councillors for the area is /was a part of, the now local councillor is the chairman of the steering group. This was set up with HHL officers to keep a close eye on the development. There are health and safety issues, and I can see if someone falls and get injured they will no doubt make a claim, and the condition of the roads and unsafe parking of cars/vans belonging to the constructions workers will help their case. I had arranged with the council for their cars to use the car park in waterfield rd but they said it was to far to walk to the site. 

 

K Butt, I know there has been a lot of rain, but the problem was here before it came, and it was no better in the summer with dust clouds in the air from the demolition of the PRC properties, the air was white like a snow storm. I know it is a major development site but there is no road that isn't affected right round the Oval. maybe if you lived here for 24 hours you would have a better understanding of what the residents are living with, its affecting everyone even the streets immediately behind the development. still we might have some respite next week when the forecasted snow falls in Hereford!

 

When I was the local councillor living on Newton Farm I had fortnightly/monthly meeting with the site manager which highlighted the problems and they were dealt with  straight away I had ,still have a working relationship with the site manager, and as i said in a previous post I ask for the sweeper to come round  and it does when i ask for it  but the roads need a wash down not the sweeper!.

[ragwert]

Glenda, HHL have no liability. Planning enforcement have the power to stop work on site if conditions are not being complied with and creating a serious hazard - as do, in addition, the HSE. As I said, someone needs to submit a complaint to either to trigger action. If contractors are under threat of the site being closed down, they will sort it out, because, bottom line, it will cost them otherwise.

You will find that they will have their own private building control officers on site and HSE officer

[Glenda Powell]

well if thats the case they are not doing their job! Even the site managers have told me HHL has changed  the layout and the different areas of the build, as an example the bungalows are not supposed to be built until next year yet they have built 8 of them and then built houses in front of them making what gardens they were to have a lot smaller, and now they will be dark inside, the other 6 bungalows are being built next year.

[twowheelsgood]

Any change to the approved layout has to be referred back to Planning, prior to it being done. Glenda, just moaning about it won't change anything, as you must know - if there are things that are not right then contact Planning enforcement and the HSE. Building Control are not Planning (and I'm surprised to learn that HHL are using private Inspectors) and have no interest in any planning issues. I doubt they have an HSE officer on site - they will/must have a CDM manager (construction design and management), who should be pulling them up on health and safety issues.

[DILLIGAF]

Up to date information I have received, the oval junction will be closed for about 2 1/2 weeks or so as of Monday 11th; access for EMS vehicles only. This is for unavoidable essential groundworks to take place.

Broxash Drive will continue to remain closed for the next 18months.

Obviously this is going to cause a headache or two during the morning rush, please allow extra time for your journey. Alternative access to Belmont Road would be via Goodrich Grove or Southolme Road.

[Glenda Powell]

This is going to be interesting because anyone using the Belmont road at the roundabout by Tesco, and seeing a long standstill of traffic turns into Southolme road ,then Waterfield road to get to Belmont road via the Oval. I hope there are diversion signs visible!.

[DILLIGAF]

Wasn't too bad at all, and work completed well before time. Don't know what the fuss was about. Roads still being kept clean and tidy, seen a few suits walking around so I assume H&S is all in order too.

[Glenda Powell]

It has been brought to my notice by two mothers on two consecutive days that the health and safety is not being adhered to on the building site. A metal tube was leaning against one of their railings when one of the diggers hit the fence  and the tube fell narrowingly missing a young child in a buggy. Also coming back from the shop today I was told a digger ran into the back of a person car causing damage, that is being dealt with by Keepmoats insurance company, and now a digger has just passed me near my home with the bucket with bricks in it was too high for the driver to see over the top hiding the drivers visibility. I have made an official complaint  to HHL because they are their developers for HHL development at the Oval, and told the mothers of the children to report it to the site manager. Something has got to be done before someone is either injured or killed!.

[DILLIGAF]

Lets clear a few things up.

• H&S are on constant watch over the site -  no complaints were received, but late last year the scaffold around the new flats was condemned. This was addressed immediately.
• Bumps, Shunts and Claims, are of no concern to anyone other than those Parties involved - it then becomes a legal matter.
• Fork Drivers will only manoeuvre wide loads above head hight to avoid access restricting objects or to off load, when travelling they should be as low as possible without restricting peripheral vision.
• Public drivers need to slow down around the site, the roads are wet, muddy and uneven; with constant Construction Machinery with unpredictable movements.
• Parents need to be extra vigilant and keep their children within arms reach, not letting them run down the path which is often the case. Children are unpredictable!
• ALL WARNING SIGNS NEED TO BE ADHERED TO.
• Take a different route if you really are that concerned about your own safety and those around you.
• You are walking around a LIVE construction site; Safety rules vary widely and circumstances sometimes call for different actions. Never the less, many things are universal.

 

• Feel free to address any concerns or grievances you may have to:
• Richard Watts (Site Manager)
• Neil Parton (Assistant Site Manager)
• Call into the Site Office

Please don’t expect them to reply immediately as they have more pressing and important matters to deal with.

• Hereford Housing Tenants can contact MARK BUTLER
• You can also contact your local councillor PHIL EDWARDS to get your issue resolved quickly.

For all other issues regarding Health and Safety at Radford Gardens Construction Site please contact KEVIN GUEST, who will deal with your complaint in due course.

 

Remember -- nothing can take the place of common sense and good manners.

Radford Gardens Construction Site is active for another two years.

[Glenda Powell]

DILLIGAF. My complaint was made to HHL  because they have their own team for the oval regeneration,They said they are pleased that I keep in contact with them ( just for information the steering group for the development has been disbanded) that is why I contacted them. As I said in my other post on this subject, I still have contact with the site manager and his assistant site manager but they are not always at the site office when I call. Just for clarification Mark Butler is the decant office for those tenants still waiting to move to the new properties. The forklift driver I spoke to HHL team about they told me last Friday that they had received numerous complaints about him. In regards to the local councillor you yourself have said only today in another post he doesn't answer peoples letters, he also doesn't answer their emails or phone messages, therefore people have told me it is useless in trying to contact him, hence why they are still coming to me! Again the parents who contacted me their children were at arms length in buggies. No one knows better than myself what it is like around the site I live right in the middle of this development! I am aware that you are "friends" with the site managers but that doesn't excuse the fact they are /have ignored the health and safety on this development, and I am not the only resident that has said that!.

[Denise Lloyd]

Dilligaf I am relieved you have been reassured by your building pals.  Construction sites construction traffic construction staff people and children and normal traffic do not mix.  For scaffolding to be so bad that it was condemmed at the end of the year does rather strike alarm bells and this from a national house builder not a 2 bit gang of builders.

 

Driving along the A465 and looking across I must admit it has never given the impression of a well organised tidy construction site.

 

But you're satisfied that it is up to the mark so it must be ok. 

[DILLIGAF]

Dilligaf I am relieved you have been reassured by your building pals.  Construction sites construction traffic construction staff people and children and normal traffic do not mix.

For scaffolding to be so bad that it was condemned at the end of the year does rather strike alarm bells and this from a national house builder not a 2 bit gang of builders.

 

Driving along the A465 and looking across I must admit it has never given the impression of a well organised tidy construction site.

DILLIGAF. My complaint was made to HHL  because they have their own team for the oval regeneration,They said they are pleased that I keep in contact with them ( just for information the steering group for the development has been disbanded) that is why I contacted them. As I said in my other post on this subject, I still have contact with the site manager and his assistant site manager but they are not always at the site office when I call. Just for clarification Mark Butler is the decant office for those tenants still waiting to move to the new properties. The forklift driver I spoke to HHL team about they told me last Friday that they had received numerous complaints about him. In regards to the local councillor you yourself have said only today in another post he doesn't answer peoples letters, he also doesn't answer their emails or phone messages, therefore people have told me it is useless in trying to contact him, hence why they are still coming to me! Again the parents who contacted me their children were at arms length in buggies. No one knows better than myself what it is like around the site I live right in the middle of this development! I am aware that you are "friends" with the site managers but that doesn't excuse the fact they are /have ignored the health and safety on this development, and I am not the only resident that has said that!.

For the record, I have no "pals" or "friends" working on the building site, merely a site manager, assistant site manager and a Keepmoat Customer Relations Manager whom I liaise with to resolve any issues that may occur, just like your good selves.

When I see a "suit & tie"  in a hi-viz wandering around, I make the effort to engage with them whoever they may be; after all I am living in the middle of a construction site and like to know what is going on, and anything that may be of a concern to me. This is how I found out about the road closures and scaffolding! Sorry to say Denise, but it wasn’t "so bad" after all, merely a few kick boards missing and use of inadequate planks, until this was rectified the scaffolding could not be used - nothing serious, just off site H&S going overboard. I’ve seen and worked on much much worse. Remember when building sites were not fenced off? Practically all of Belmont was always open when it was being built. Clearly you have not been around any construction sites before if that is your opinion on the cleanliness of this site.

This site has been short-listed for numerous awards. I’m sure Julie in the Sales office can fill you in on that one.

Glenda, it is imperative that H&S is not ignored and followed to the book on all construction sites otherwise the developers will be fined and/or dismissed. Like I said earlier "Safety rules vary widely and circumstances sometimes call for different actions. Never the less, many things are universal."

What do you suggest? Close the site down and disappoint all those waiting patently for their affordable property? Will that make everyone happy?!

I have no faith in contacting HHL, it took them six months to fix my lock-up roof, only when I refused to pay rent was it immediately fixed - funny that!

Glenda can I ask you to suggest back to those parents who continually complain to you to maybe use another route? These parents are obviously unhappy yet continue to use the route that make them unhappy -it doesn’t make sense! Try using The Lines, Audley Close, Goodrich Grove, Belmont Road?

It is no secret that contacting Mr Edwards is impossible so why not take the matter further up the chain, and make an official complaint and don’t vote him in next time!

No matter what H&S procedures are in place accidents can happen, when this happens it then becomes an Incident and HSE are informed and will investigate.

Remember -- nothing can take the place of common sense.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

[Glenda Powell]

DILLIGAF. the parents taking their children to school/nursery DO USE The GWW/LINES they live in the streets around where I live and people coming from Redhill to Oval also has to walk amid the site. In regard to the building of the Belmont estate many years ago it was never like the oval site and there were 10 different developers up there, I know I went there every day because the cleaning business I owned had the contract to clean the houses before the people moved in also the show houses!

[DILLIGAF]

DILLIGAF. the parents taking their children to school/nursery DO USE The GWW/LINES they live in the streets around where I live and people coming from Redhill to Oval also has to walk amid the site. In regard to the building of the Belmont estate many years ago it was never like the oval site and there were 10 different developers up there, I know I went there every day because the cleaning business I owned had the contract to clean the houses before the people moved in also the show houses!

Can they not use the Ethelstan Crescent entrance to GWW? Yes it may be a 10 minute extra walk but what’s ten minutes for a piece of mind? The Redhill folk don’t have to succumb to the construction traffic at all. They can continue over the the bridge and cross at the Oval crossing! Admittedly yes the Belmont estate was different, as it was built on green fields 'out of town' whereas Radford Gardens is an Urban Redevelopment; However the last phase near to the old Almshouse wasn’t.

[megilleland]

Have not noticed any work on the Oval development the last month. No sign of contractors working and the next blocks of flats to be demolished still standing - any news?

[Glenda Powell]

I have been told  that the men had not been paid so they walked off site, that was 6 weeks ago. I was also told by workmen that it has something to do with the gas supply, I had a letter telling me my gas would be turned off a couple of months ago, it didn't happen. I reported 6 men in their 20s entering the flats in Jubilee Court  over the recent holidays I see the builders have now fenced the area off with high boards. The demolition men are coming back either end of this month or early June, the gas / electric supplies will be turned off to stop any danger from explosion when the flats are pull down the site manager told me this information last week.