'It's unfair we have to pay for country park upkeep'

Residents living on a new housing estate in Nottinghamshire say it is unfair they face an "unknown cost" for the upkeep of a public park.

Archer's Lake park in Bingham opened in November 2020, but work is still continuing over the coming months on finishing the facility, following complaints about "boggy" paths, dying trees and vandalism.

Barratt Homes, which has created the park as a public space to serve its 1,000-home Romans' Quarter development nearby, will then hand over responsibility for maintaining it to a private management company.

But maintenance charges for the park will then be passed on to people living in Romans' Quarter - who have questioned why only they should pay.

Mark Shaw moved into his new home in Romans' Quarter, north of Bingham, one year ago.

He says that while residents were told of the condition of purchase, he did not realise the upkeep of nearby Archer's Lake park was included.

"It was never implied there was a whole country park included in that," he said.

"It's ridiculous that we would have to be paying for something the council should be adopting."

Another homeowner from the estate, Jenny Chatten, felt it was unfair to only charge people living on the estate, when the areas were for all the people living in Bingham.

"It's really nice to have it on our doorstep, but only if it's properly maintained," she added.

"Hopefully it will be in a good state when the management company takes it over, otherwise it could be quite costly."

Complaints have been raised online about the park, including footpaths becoming a "boggy mess", which has required repair work.

A spokesperson for Barratt Homes North Midlands said the footpath material was approved as the most suitable surface and is commonly used in similar environments across the country.

It confirmed more than £350,000 has been invested in path improvements since 2023.

Former civil engineer Jeff Peters, who is from Bingham and among those who have complained online, added: "The public will have no say in what happens here.

"We can't go to our local authority and say, 'We'd like some more benches', because it's run by a private management company."

Julia Thrift, director of Healthier Place-making for the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) says cash-strapped councils now find it difficult to fund the ongoing maintenance of open spaces.

The organisation is calling for better support for green infrastructure.

"Green spaces are really good for people's health, they're great for the environment, they're great for climate change," she said.

"But getting all those benefits means they have to be really well run.

"That means thinking about them right from the start, how they're designed and how they're going to be funded and maintained."

Rushcliffe Borough Council said it was aware of concerns about management companies and open space.

A council spokesperson said the authority has lobbied the government for legislation to create a fair framework for residents' charging for the management of open spaces.

They added: "We have clear expectations for management companies and are developing best-practice guidance to ensure residents receive transparent information about maintenance fees when purchasing their homes."

A spokesperson for Barratt Homes North Midlands said: "We remain committed to delivering Archer's Lake and the surrounding open spaces to the agreed high standard, ensuring they become a lasting asset for residents and the wider community.

"Significant progress has already been made and further landscaping, path improvements, and final works are scheduled for completion in the coming months."

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