There’s nothing more heartbreaking than having to demolish something you have wholeheartedly worked for. Indeed nothing prepares you for this kind of hurt, and it is even worse when it involves millions of dollars, you have no choice but to watch those millions of dollars go into ruins.
These extremely expensive three and four-bedroom homes, part of a massive housing development project happening near Cambridge, will have to be demolished due to recently discovered foundational issues.
The Darwin Green Development
The massive building in question was constructed by Barratt and David Wilson Homes. These buildings are just a fraction of larger projects. They are part of the Darwin Green Development and they are now undergoing demolition because of some foundational issues discovered last year.
When the Darwin Green Development is completed it is expected to be made up of about 1593 homes. Unfortunately, 88 of these homes are now being demolished to be rebuilt to fit their architectural standards.
The Building Firm Has To Knock Down 88 Brand New Homes
This building firm has been faced with a significant setback and has been compelled to demolish 88 recently constructed homes due to the discovery of some unamendable structural issues. These homes feature lots of three and four-bedroom apartments each.
These housing units were all valued between 575,000 Pounds and 850,000 Pounds and were all an integral component of an extensive housing development that is located on the outskirts of Cambridge.
Developers Revealed Concerns In June
The developers of these once beautifully well-designed buildings, Barratt and David Wilson revealed some important facts about the designs of certain homes in phase two of their project. While doing usual inspections, Barratt noticed that some of the homes did not meet their usual high standards.
After a thorough consideration and inspection, they concluded that the most effective cause of action was to demolish the properties and rebuild them. This decision shows how accountable and safety-minded these developers are, and it’s something we love to see.
The Designers Are Committed To Upholding Safety Standards
The developer’s choice to demolish a considerable number of these newly constructed buildings indicates that the identified faults were significant and could not be overlooked. This decision underscores the developer’s commitment to upholding the building’s quality and safety standards.
This whole situation gives us an insight into the various challenges and difficulties faced in construction projects when certain sensitive issues arise. And how they are forced to take decisive actions to rectify the problem and guarantee adherence to strict safety measures.
The Reason For The Demolition
The announcement of the demolition of nothing less than 88 homes from the Green Darwin Development project hit the public, the most asked question has been about the main cause for the demolition. It has been said that the main reason for the demolition stemmed from the use of a “trench fill foundation”.
They explained that trench trench-filled foundation was used without adequate “heave protection” to counteract the subsidence. Residents were informed that 84 of those buildings lacked adequacy considering the geographical conditions of the next phase.
The Affected Homes Are Deemed Sold But Not Occupied
It is believed that the affected holes which are part of the Green Darwin Development have been sold but were not occupied at the time they discovered the foundational issues. This sounds heartbreaking for the homeowners who have not even spent a day in these homes.
In response to the identified issues, excavators have been deployed to the site. At least two excavators have been sent to the sites to dismantle all 88 brand-new homes.
The Developers Applied For Planning Permission To Demolish
It seems this has been an issue for quite a while now, and the developers have tried their best to seek permission from the state before they start demolishing these buildings. Fun fact, they have already requested planning permission since last autumn.
Finally, the demolition process has commenced with the recent destruction of four of these houses. The ongoing demolition process is expected to extend over the next 12 weeks, this shows the comprehensive effort to correct their wrongs.
The Planning Permission Request Shocked Liberal Democrat Cheney Payne
When the Liberal Democrat councilor heard about Barratt and David Wilson’s plan to demolish 88 of their newly constructed buildings, she was shocked. She admitted that it was quite difficult for her to believe when the council was first informed about the demolition.
She added that almost all the buildings were already in place and were pretty much completed. To suddenly find out that they are not fit to be occupied and need to be demolished is shocking.
The Initial Plan Was To Demolish 30 Homes
When this whole issue started, after so much inspection and deliberation, the developers came to the conclusion that approximately 30 homes collectively valued at around £20 million were to be demolished and subsequently reconstructed.
The additional remaining plots were also checked and were identified to need extensive remediation work to destroy the existing foundations and also addressed any other structures that have already commenced construction.
The Numbers Have Now Increased And Will Cost Double The Initial Cost
Although the initial estimates spanned across 30 homes, the documents submitted to Cambridge City County say otherwise. According to the documents submitted, it revealed that approximately 83 units would require demolition.
As opposed to the earlier value of 20 million pounds , the affected properties will collectively be worth more than 40 million pounds in total. This gives us a lead on the financial impact it will have on the developers. The remediation process is expected to cost millions of pounds.
Around 36 Homes Have Reached The Roof Stage
The developers have announced that this demolition is such a complex one. While some of the buildings have reached a significant level and will need destruction and reconstruction, others will only require a targeted remedial approach to address the identified problems.
Their plan involves the complete demolition of approximately 36 homes that have since progressed to the roof stage of construction and an additional remedial option will be implemented on 47 other plots that are at different stages of construction.
Implementing An Environmentally Conscious Plan
Imagine how much money and materials will be wasted once the demolition commences. The developers have a great solution in mind. In their comprehension plan to address this problem, the developers have outlined an environmentally conscious approach.
They have decided to salvage the tiles and other materials wherever possible. They have also decided to crush the concrete and bricks on site to aid a smooth reuse process. This is their way of minimizing waste and at the same time promoting sustainability.
Residents In Nearby Properties Are Quite Concerned
The discovery and the demolition of the property on the phase two project have caused other residents to voice out their opinions. It has raised significant concerns among residents living in nearby homes constructed by the same developer.
They believe that there’s this uncertainty surrounding the implication for their properties and this uncertainty creates a sense of unease and has caused them to contemplate the potential impact and the overall quality of their homes.
They Are Worried That The Same Structural Mistake Might Have Occurred On Their Property
In June MailOnline spoke to some of the neighbors living next to the 36 buildings. And software engineer Canar Altinbasak who has occupied his home for three years had something to say. Canars building is a four-bedroom apartment and it cost 700,000 pounds.
Cabar lives with his wife and two children and expressed how worried he is. He is worried that the same mistake might have happened to his house as well and although the house might have passed 100 percent of checks during the building process but could now be found faulty.
This Is A Huge Down For Those Who Were In The Process Of Buying This House
A lot of individuals are more worried about those people who have opted to purchase these soon-to-be-demolished houses. While some of them have purchased furniture for the house, some have even stopped leases on existing houses to get ready to move in.
Now they have all been let down. While some are okay with waiting for another year for their dream homes to be reconstructed, others have no choice but to buy houses elsewhere.
A Letter Of Apology From The Developers
This letter is from Barratt and David Wilson Homes Cambridgeshire, in the letter they tendered their sincere apology for any negative impact the demolition may have caused.
They also added that they are fully committed to minimizing any impact of the remedial works as much as they possibly can. They also assured residents that they’re working with expert demolition contractors and promise as little impact as possible.
Only Best Quality Houses Moving Forward!
The developers are very aware of how this affects their customers and also understand their frustration, those who have worked all their lives to afford a home will have to wait for another year to move in.
The only way out of this situation is to make sure that the homes they’re reconstructing are of the highest quality possible so as not to repeat the same mistakes.
