RESIDENTS have been left with a “sodden, muddy quagmire” as a play park on a residential site near Upton-Upon-Severn remains closed, according to a local councillor.

Cllr Jeremy Owenson from Malvern Hills District Council said that the public open space and play area at the Pennywell Walk development site remains blocked off with no access to the area, despite the last houses in the development being sold earlier this year.

Part of the planning application’s conditions for approval was for Taylor Wimpey to include an open space and play area, but Cllr Owenson says that the families on the estate have had “a wasted summer”.

He said: “It is nearly twelve months since the last house at the Taylor Wimpey site at Pennywell Walk was sold, but yet the public open space and play area are still blocked off with ugly steel fencing, like some communist Gulag.

“The children’s play equipment is complete, and tantalisingly close to the children who live on the estate, but they are barred in more ways than one from playing on the new apparatus.

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“They were supposed to have finished the play area by spring, but now summer has gone and it is still not open.

“As part of the conditions of getting site planning permission, it was proposed that a community orchard would be planted, reminding residents that the area was once part of a vast fruit farm.

“No trees have been planted, no plums or cherries to delight the residents, only a sodden muddy quagmire.

“The residents are making an open plea to Taylor Wimpey to finish the site, and allow their children to enjoy the park that was promised.”

A Taylor Wimpey spokesman said: “As part of our development at Pennywell Walk in Ryall, we are installing a new children's play area for our residents and the local community to enjoy.

“We anticipate that the play area and surrounding open space will be open for public use in spring next year which will allow for the newly landscaped areas to establish.”

The spokesman also said that landscaping and planting of the open space areas will be carried out before the end of this year during the growing season, and that time needs to be allowed for the landscapes to become established in order to improve the sustainability of the areas before they are opened to the public.