Some of the developers of a luxury housing estate have been given deadlines to finish the work - or face legal action by Bradford Council.

The planning sub-committee decided to take tough action over problems in parts of the development at Apperley Bridge after being told of the nightmare being suffered by some residents over failure to complete work.

Councillors were told of sewage floods on part of the estate on two occasions, neglected open spaces and the wait for all the street lighting to be installed.

The committee will tell the developers they have until August to do the landscaping and lighting and work at Haigh Beck must be completed in a year's time.

Flooding was caused by blockages which have since been sorted out, but the developer must still do a flood overflow scheme.

Councillor Colin Charlesworth (Con, Baildon) asked if the failure to enforce the conditions previously had been through negligence.

He warned that the authority could now face legal action from angry residents because their houses were blighted by problems.

Councillor Allan Hillary (Lib Dem, Bolton) said: "I am alarmed about all the complicated unsolved issues surrounding this development. We should get on with legal action."

Resident Sharon Lanfranchie, who was at the meeting, asked why she had been allowed to move into her house in 1994 even though the pledged work was not completed. She said: "People will end up not being able to sell their houses.

"There are people already who need to move and are having problems selling houses.

"We were shown a beautifully cared for public area before we bought them."

She said flood water with sewage had poured out on two occasions.

"We have to keep sandbags in our garages," she added.

She said her solicitor's search before she bought the house had failed to reveal concerns.

Officers told the committee they had asked developers for firm timetables after speaking to them in November, but they had failed to produce anything satisfactory.

The Council's chief solicitor Frank Suadra said: "We are not in the ball game of negotiations and understandings. We want action."

No comment was available from Ernest Young, which is acting as administrative receiver for the main landowner Malt Sword.

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