Roadworks outside our house, 3 months

Any1can

I wondered if anyone could help, we have just been notified that there will be 3 months of road works Outside our home. There will be a parking restriction in place, and the people undertaking the work have said for a period of time we will not be able to park in our street.

I have 2 children under 2 and carrying them to and from the car alone is already challenging when parked directly outside our house. I can’t use a buggy to get them in and out as it lives in our car due to the size of our front door (it’s too narrow to get in). My other half works shifts so can’t always help, he too will be impacted by sleeping during the day after a night shift, whilst the work is going on.

1) The roadworks are being created because of the sale of land for development adjacent to our road. They are laying cables.
2) The sale of the land was done because it was profitable for SSE and the developers (housing) to do so.
3) The proposed roadworks are therefore due to a commercial transaction between 2 private enterprises (SSE and the developers)

I’m thinking why should we suffer hardship because two organisations that have nothing to do with us try to maximise their profit (at our expense). Would there be any grounds for compensation, and where are we supposed to park our car (our entire area is parking permits, so we can’t use adjacent roads, even if we didn’t have the conundrum with how to get the children safely in and out, daily?

Anyone got any advice?

Thanks in advance.

Aylesbury_Duck

I don't think you'll get anywhere. You don't own the road outside your house so have no right to the continuous availability of parking. New houses are developed all the time - I'm sure the development you live in caused inconvenience and disruption to neighbouring areas at the time.

You can always ask if the developers and/or SSE have some sort of compensation scheme but if they don't, I can't see that you have grounds for a claim. Rather than viewing what's coming as hardship, you should view your current ability to park where you like as a fortunate convenience. You'll get it back, but will have to deal with it in the meantime.

The timing is unfortunate given the age of your family, but I think you may have find a workaround.

getmore4less

Ask if they can create some temporary parking on the ajacent land

Sky_

Could you buy (second hand) or borrow a double umbrella folding buggy. Or a single umbrella buggy for your oldest and a sling/carrier for the younger child, and use these just for going to and from the car?



It's all far from ideal, but it will be less stressful if you find a practical solution as soon as possible, especially if the works take longer than expected.



I hope it works out and the works are completed quickly!

TooManyPoints

It's all far from ideal, but it will be less stressful if you find a practical solution as soon as possible, especially[STRIKE] if [/STRIKE] when the works take longer than expected.

Which I think is more likely.

bigadaj

Any1can wrote: »

I wondered if anyone could help, we have just been notified that there will be 3 months of road works Outside our home. There will be a parking restriction in place, and the people undertaking the work have said for a period of time we will not be able to park in our street.

I have 2 children under 2 and carrying them to and from the car alone is already challenging when parked directly outside our house. I can’t use a buggy to get them in and out as it lives in our car due to the size of our front door (it’s too narrow to get in). My other half works shifts so can’t always help, he too will be impacted by sleeping during the day after a night shift, whilst the work is going on.

1) The roadworks are being created because of the sale of land for development adjacent to our road. They are laying cables.
2) The sale of the land was done because it was profitable for SSE and the developers (housing) to do so.
3) The proposed roadworks are therefore due to a commercial transaction between 2 private enterprises (SSE and the developers)

I’m thinking why should we suffer hardship because two organisations that have nothing to do with us try to maximise their profit (at our expense). Would there be any grounds for compensation, and where are we supposed to park our car (our entire area is parking permits, so we can’t use adjacent roads, even if we didn’t have the conundrum with how to get the children safely in and out, daily?

Anyone got any advice?

Thanks in advance.

How were you notified, if by letter are there comtact details, or is there a site compound currently.

If I were you I'd approach the contractor by phone or physical visit and explain your issues and problems, ideally with solutions in mind. The developer and contractors want to maintain goodwill wherever possible, so may well be happy to put measures in place to ease disruption, just be honest about the problems being caused, don't create a big fuss or moan from the outset and you may well get a reasonable outcome.

I'm currently involved in a site where ground is being remediated for housing, contractor reported several visit from locals after compound set up all but one of which was positive in that the old patch of waste ground was being cleaned up; the one complaint was based on staff parking outside on the road and the contractor laid a larger stone parking area to remove the problem.

Car_54

This problem will become widespread if even a fraction of the houses currently being promised are built.

gmm30

bigadaj wrote: »

If I were you I'd approach the contractor by phone or physical visit and explain your issues and problems, ideally with solutions in mind. The developer and contractors want to maintain goodwill wherever possible, so may well be happy to put measures in place to ease disruption, just be honest about the problems being caused, don't create a big fuss or moan from the outset and you may well get a reasonable outcome.

I agree with this - you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from some polite human interaction. For a major scheme, the Contractor will hopefully have a dedicated contact number or someone responsible for neighbour liaison. If there's a straightforward way of making it easier for the neighbours, it's in everybody's interest to look at it.

If you get nowhere, try contacting a local councillor (preferably one with a reputation for getting stuff done) and see if they will liaise with the contractor or clients on your behalf.

Failing that, try complaining to the developer's headquarters and SSE. Tagging them on Twitter might get attention if you're struggling.

But as someone who works in construction, I'm much more likely to make adjustments for someone reasonable who asks nicely, than if they come in all guns blazing threatening all kinds of legal action and demanding money.

cubegame

Any1can wrote: »

I wondered if anyone could help, we have just been notified that there will be 3 months of road works Outside our home. There will be a parking restriction in place, and the people undertaking the work have said for a period of time we will not be able to park in our street.

I have 2 children under 2 and carrying them to and from the car alone is already challenging when parked directly outside our house. I can’t use a buggy to get them in and out as it lives in our car due to the size of our front door (it’s too narrow to get in). My other half works shifts so can’t always help, he too will be impacted by sleeping during the day after a night shift, whilst the work is going on.

1) The roadworks are being created because of the sale of land for development adjacent to our road. They are laying cables.
2) The sale of the land was done because it was profitable for SSE and the developers (housing) to do so.
3) The proposed roadworks are therefore due to a commercial transaction between 2 private enterprises (SSE and the developers)

I’m thinking why should we suffer hardship because two organisations that have nothing to do with us try to maximise their profit (at our expense). Would there be any grounds for compensation, and where are we supposed to park our car (our entire area is parking permits, so we can’t use adjacent roads, even if we didn’t have the conundrum with how to get the children safely in and out, daily?

Anyone got any advice?

Thanks in advance.

1. Put children in buggy.
2. Use buggy to take children to front door.
3. Take children out of buggy into house.
4. Return buggy to car.

Simple.

Belenus

cubegame wrote: »

1. Put children in buggy.
2. Use buggy to take children to front door.
3. Take children out of buggy into house.
4. Return buggy to car.

Simple.

Not quite simple.

Who looks after the children while she is returning the buggy to a car possibly several streets away if her husband is not at home.?

AdrianC

Any1can wrote: »

(our entire area is parking permits, so we can’t use adjacent roads

Parking permits are rarely THAT localised. They're usually zone-specific, with a reasonable area covered in a particular zone.

This isn't something unilaterally imposed by the developers (and the electricity company might be doing the work, but they certainly aren't doing any more than being contracted to supply electricity to the development). Your local authority have been consulted and involved in drawing up the plans, and have agreed them. Parking for impacted residents is something that will have been factored in that consultation.