Is this bridge too far for Apsley?

Villagers are fuming over ‘broken promises’ by developers who are building more than 300 new homes on a rural estate, it was claimed this week.

Bovis Homes is behind the Aspen Park estate in Apsley, a 330-home scheme which was first given planning permission in 2004.

The plans will more than double the size of the existing Manor Estate, yet this was expected to be balanced by new facilities for the area including a new bridge to account for the estate being doubled in size.

But residents claim that they have instead been given a constant stream of excuses and broken promises.

Andrew Tillett, Secretary

of the Manor Estate Residents Association, said: “The current bridge is very narrow, and you can get two cars pass each other if they go slowly.

“Even now, with the estate barely built, it’s too much, with all the lorries, the deliveries, the Sat Navs taking people through country roads.

“Last April, we were told work would start in July 2015. Then this became Autumn 2015, then January 2016, and since that, I was told April 2016 which has now also been and gone.”

According to the minutes of residents’ association meetings, which have been attended by Bovis, some of the delays in creating new infrastructure were blamed on bad weather – in 2013.

Mr Tillett added: “My view is that Hertfordshire County Council don’t really care either. They just have to hit a certain number of new homes supplied to tick their boxes.”

A spokesman for Bovis Homes said: “We can confirm that enabling ground works for the delivery of the new bridge at Apsley by our works contractor, Geoffrey Osborne Ltd, have started.

“We apologise for the delay in commencing the work but the proposals require a thorough checking process and review by the county council.

“Updates on the progress of the work will be posted at www.bovishomes.co.uk/apsleycommunity”