Over £18,000 spent to find cause of cracks in Victoria Park

Cracks in homes, paths, fields and walls in and near the Newbury park were discovered 19 months ago

A SURVEY and additional legal costs to find the cause of cracks and fractures to homes, paths, fields and walls in and near Victoria Park, Newbury, has cost £18,000, according to the town council.

Reports of splits in pavements, crumbling walls and cracks in houses near to Park Way were discovered in the summer of 2010.

With Parkway contractors Costain taking water out of the ground nearby to build the shopping centre's underground car park, worried residents and the town council members began asking questions of the works being carried out, however Costain repeatedly claimed the dry weather at the beginning of 2010 was to blame for the problems.

The town council commissioned a hydrogeological survey by surveyors Scott Wilson in September 2010 to uncover the cause of damage, but 17 months on the findings are yet to be made public.

It was announced at Monday night's town council community services meeting that a total of £18,309.81 has so far been spent on the survey and legal costs, with further costs expected.

Chairwoman of the community services committee, Martha Vickers (Northcroft, Lib Dem) said: “The total invoiced cost to date of the hydrogeological survey is £7,305.59. Legal fees invoiced to date are £11,004.22. Further legal and professional costs will be incurred before the issue is concluded.

“As stated in our previous public statements, and most recently in our press release of November 23, 2011, the town council is continuing to do all it can to ensure the best outcome, and we are advised that the premature publication of reports could seriously undermine this objective.

“We are all frustrated by the time this is taking, but we are moving as fast as we sensibly can on this long and complex task, and would ask everyone to please bear with us.”

Newbury resident, Allan Mercado, who raised the question about survey and legal costs with the council on Monday night, said: “I'm fully supportive of the town council but fear inevitable rising costs from the lawyers, who appear to be the only ones benefiting.

“It seems to me that the developers appear to be performing the biggest hand-washing act since Pontius Pilate

“Surely considering the turmoil that Newbury people and shopkeepers have had to endure the developers would have offered a payment to enable Victoria Park to be restored to the pleasant, green park it has been for the past 100 years.”

NewburyToday is awaiting a response from Costain.