Bude Estate Residents Left in Limbo as Vistry Faces Mounting Pressure

More than ten years after work began, parts of a Bude housing estate still don’t have finished roads or drainage. Now councillors and the local MP are demanding answers.

Cornwall Councillors Faye Emery and Nicky Chopak are leading calls for developer Vistry to commit to a clear plan to finish long-overdue infrastructure works at Shorelands Estate in Bude, with residents reporting years of disruption from unfinished roads, drainage and other essential services.

Years of Disruption

Some of the issues at the estate date back more than a decade. Residents have lived through years of roadworks and incomplete services, and Faye says they feel completely ignored by the developer.

She has been working with Nicky, who represents Poundstock, alongside Independent Councillor Peter La Broy, who covers Bude, and North Cornwall MP Ben Maguire to push for action.

📷Ben Maguire MP, Cllr Faye Emery, and Cllr Nicky Chopak at the Shorelands Estate, joined by local resident Greg Wood

Council Steps In

In the last few days, Cornwall Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing contacted Vistry to request an on-site meeting between all parties so the concerns can be addressed directly.

Faye said: “Residents have experienced years of roadworks and other disruption to their lives, and just feel completely ignored by Vistry.

“Cllr Nicky Chopak (Poundstock) and I are working with Peter La Broy (Independent Cllr for Bude) to resolve this urgently, and we’re calling on Vistry to commit to a clear plan for completing the work on site as quickly as possible.”

📷Ben Maguire MP, Cllr Faye Emery, and Cllr Nicky Chopak at the Shorelands Estate, joined by local resident Greg Wood

MP Pushes for Law Change

Ben said the situation reflects a wider problem with how housing developments are signed off across the country, and pointed to a bill he has already presented in Parliament.

“My constituents expect far better than this. Vital infrastructure like roads, sewage works should always be put in place BEFORE any developer can start selling houses, or else residents are left with a mess like this,” he said.

“Cases like these are exactly the reason I am working on an ‘Infrastructure First’ Bill, which I have already presented before Parliament. I’ll now continue working with our local Cornwall councillors to collectively hold Vistry to account, so that we finally see the action and standards my residents deserve.”

The councillors and MP are now waiting to see whether Vistry will agree to the on-site meeting and commit to a timeline for finishing the work.

📷Ben Maguire MP, Cllr Faye Emery, and Cllr Nicky Chopak at the Shorelands Estate, joined by local resident Greg Wood