Families left living on a building site after firm went bust

Housebuilder McInerney Homes went bust in 2011 leaving those living in the Heritage site, Lower Hopton, “living in limbo”.

Paths and roads are deteriorating, old signage litters the grounds and the main fence separating the site from the busy railway line is damaged.

Resident Craig Hayes, who bought his home in 2010, said: “It’s going to rack and ruin. We’ve had manhole covers swiped, there is no tarmac, the roads are crumbling away, weeds are growing in the paths and fencing has fallen down everywhere.

“How long is this going to go on for? We’re living in limbo.”

McInerney planned to build 203 houses and flats plus more than 800sq m of office space on the site off Woodend Road but the company went into administration in 2011.

The site was transferred to joint administrators KPMG. There are around 50 flats and townhouses on the site, which are mostly occupied.

Now residents are taking matters into their own hands by reforming a residents group.

Mr Hayes, 34, said: “It is now three years on since McInerney went bust and still there’s no activity or any movement regarding finishing off this building site. It has become depressing, embarrassing and very worrying.

“My neighbours and I have paid a lot of money to live on this site and it feels that we’ve been forgotten about. I think we’ve more than patient and now we deserve some attention.”

Mirfield town councillor Martyn Bolt sympathised with the long-suffering residents. He said: “People have been living there for three years and there are no playing facilities for young children.

“People don’t understand why developers are digging up green fields to build on when there are brownfield sites like this one not being developed.”

Paul Dumbell, director at KPMG and joint administrator of McInerney Homes, said: “We absolutely share the frustration of the local community about the lack of progress at the McInerney Homes site in Mirfield.

“The site is a joint venture between West Register, which owns the land, and McInerney Homes who have a license agreement to build out the site. Following our appointment as administrators, the site was extensively marketed and a number of parties expressed interest in the land and work in progress.

“Unfortunately, agreement was not reached between West Register and McInerney Homes as to the split of the value, and as a result, we have been unable to conclude any sale of the site. Discussions remain ongoing, and a meeting has been scheduled for next Thursday in an attempt to bring this to a resolution.

“In the meantime, since our appointment we have done everything we can to ensure that the site is secured on a 24 hour basis, in addition to rectifying any issues on-site as soon as we have been made aware of them. Representatives from KPMG regularly visit the site, with the next visit scheduled for tomorrow.”