Families' £400,000 newbuild homes are still cut off two years on after two landslides outside their doors
- Eatrth and rubble have piled alongside homes in Cradley Heath, West Midlands
Families living on a newbuild estate say their £400,000 homes have been left cut off for two years after landslides blocked the road outside their front doors.
Residents in Cradley Heath in the West Midlands have been unable to park on their driveways after earth and rubble tumbled across the street.
A temporary sandbag wall was built following the landslip in March 2024 - but it collapsed months later following a second landslide.
CCTV showed the moment tonnes of earth smashed through barriers in the Black Country town in January last year.
The landslip blocked access for about 12 residents, forcing homeowners to leave their cars on nearby streets and walk through the rubble to enter their properties.
Locals say they are still unable to park outside their homes almost two years later while they continue to wait for the developers to clear the site.
They also say the estate has become plagued with drainage problems - with some complaining that sewage cascades into gardens when it rains.
The estate is privately owned by Dunedin Homes, but residents claim no one is taking responsibility for the issues.
The scene on a West Midlands estate after a barrier collapsed following landslides
Reece Aleksander, 34, says he now cannot access his drive on the Cradley Heath estate
The problem has been made worse by a lack of street lighting on the six-year-old estate, with the power for the lighting yet to be turned on.
Residents say they 'feel trapped' in their homes which have become 'unsellable' due to the landslip.
Sandra Whitehall, 78, who has been living on the estate since the landslide, said: 'It's terrible, really - we just don't see an end in sight for it.
'It's not just the soil - when it rains, the water comes all the way down and on to the road.
'It's caused flooding and all sorts of issues. Honestly, we have just learned that we have to live with it.
'We have some young families on this estate. It's just not a nice thing for young children to see or remember about their homes.
'We haven't seen any movement with it being sorted, nothing. Our houses aren't really worth anything now either. No one can even sell up. We all feel trapped.'
Fellow resident Mark Payne, who has been living on the estate since it was first built in 2020, said: 'I wouldn't have bought this house if I knew what I know now. I've been here from day one, and we have always had issues.
Residents in Cradley Heath in the West Midlands have been unable to park on their driveways after earth and rubble tumbled across the street
CCTV footage showed the moment a barrier collapsed overnight after a landslide
'There's just been no clarity with what is happening with it and no one seems to be doing anything.
'We aren't even, like, frustrated anymore - we are just purely angry and upset. It needs sorting.'
Reece Aleksander, 34, told of homeowners feeling abandoned, while he feared the problems on the estate would never be resolved.
The engineer, who lives with his wife Georgia and their baby, said: 'It's a nightmare. When I step outside my house we've just got this big mound of dirt to look at.
'Even going up onto my lawn I can still see this big mound of dirt.
'I literally said to my wife that I hate living here. We bought a newbuild under the impression that there wouldn't be any issues, maybe a few snags.
'It's just become an absolute joke. There are residents who still can't get their cars onto the drivers.
'Through the winter it was bad - trying to get a pushchair or anything near that soil is impossible.'
The landslip blocked access for about 12 residents, forcing homeowners to leave their cars on nearby streets and walk through the rubble to enter their properties
Sandwell Council have given the housing firm until March 29 to clear the road or face enforcement action.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: 'The council completely understands the frustration of local residents in relation to this matter, which is ultimately for the developer to resolve.
'We continue to engage with the developer and have urged them to ensure that the landslip is addressed as soon as possible and in a sustainable manner.
'The developer is exploring long-term solutions and has undertaken a range of site investigations to inform this process.
'We will monitor the situation and continue to consider whether the use of the limited powers we have available in relation to planning conditions would help bring about a speedier resolution.'
Dunedin Homes recently appealed a council decision to block the development of six more homes on the new-build estate.
The rejection came amid concerns the new homes would 'have a significant impact' on the privacy of other residential properties.
The company has been approached for comment.
Dunedin Homes previously said there were 'a number of extremely complex geotechnical factors to take account' of the landslip at Cradley Heath'.
The firm added: 'We have sought to update the residents at each key juncture of our remedial plans.
'We are continuing to liaise with our solicitors and engineers to identify and implement a permanent remedial solution at the soonest opportunity.'
