Pendle MP, Andrew Stephenson has written to Housing Minister Dominic Raab MP to raise his concerns about the leasehold agreement residents of the new Seddon Homes development in Salterforth are required to sign on the purchase of their home.
The leasehold agreement includes a clause restricting residents from opposing any future planning applications submitted by Seddon Homes on the adjacent land. Seddon Homes have submitted a planning application for 34 houses on the adjacent land and many residents have concerns about the proposals.
Andrew Stephenson MP, commented, “The views of local residents are an important part of the planning process and any attempt by a developer to gag residents is completely unacceptable. Leaseholds shouldn’t be used to silence people and I find the use of leaseholds for this purpose to be a highly dubious practice.”
Andrew continued, “The Government has already working towards banning unfair and abusive practices within the leasehold system and I’ve written to the Housing Minister to make him aware how some developers continue to abuse the system. I’ve also written to Seddon Homes to raise my concerns directly with them.”