Residents of the Linden Gardens housing estate in Oxfordshire are facing a potential £100,000 bill to complete unfinished infrastructure after the project's developer went out of business. The approximately 30 households have been living with incomplete roads, inadequate street lighting, and unfinished drainage for over five years.
Residents place blame on Oxfordshire County Council, alleging it failed to enforce a road bond intended to protect homeowners from such costs. They claim the council did not enforce the advance payments code (APC) principle, leading to a situation where they feel deceived and isolated. James Bullen, a resident, described the situation as "five years of complete misery," noting that the unfinished roads prevent the sale of properties.
The incomplete development has also led to flooding issues, with images from previous winters showing water inundating pavements and driveways. Large potholes have also been left unrepaired on sections of the road.
Charlie Maynard, the Liberal Democrat MP for Witney, visited the estate and highlighted issues such as raised manhole covers and non-functional streetlights. He has called for the council to fund the necessary completion works before seeking reimbursement from the developer, Taggart Homes.
Maria Woods, another resident, stated that the situation would not have occurred if the council had collected the required bond. The residents' claims suggest the council did not act even after the developer ceased communication, abandoned the site, and ultimately became insolvent in June 2025. TH Carterton Limited, which managed the project for Taggart Homes, closed last year.
Adding to the residents' challenges, the Local Government Ombudsman has reportedly dismissed their complaints. In response, locals have initiated a GoFundMe page, which has raised over £2,500 to date. Residents fear that the current state of the estate will prevent them from selling their homes and are concerned about recurring flooding during winter.
Oxfordshire County Council stated that it "understands the frustration" but maintains it "fulfilled" its statutory duty. The council explained that it served an advance payments code (APC) notice, but the developer was also pursuing a private street agreement. The council asserted that Linden Gardens was always intended to be a private road, not an adopted highway, and therefore responsibility rests with the landowner and development management arrangements, not the highway authority.
The council's information sheet on the advance payment code states that no building work should commence until the APC is paid, and failure to do so constitutes an offense liable to prosecution and fines.