A development that’s years in the making is nearly complete.
The cinema is already open, most of the scaffolding around the site has been removed, and final preparations are being made ahead of handover and ribbon-cutting.
But while many people around Farnham are excited about the impending completion of the Brightwells Yard development, a closer look reveals that all is not what it seems.
Mark Westcott only sees discrepancies and missed opportunities. There’s barely a single building which doesn’t match up to the original drawings, with flourishes, finishes and features being whitewashed.
“Not a single building you see here on this development is in accordance – I reckon if you add them all up there’s 4,000 mistakes,” said Mr Westcott on a tour of the site.
“People forget it’s our legacy for Farnham. It should have been an example of civic pride but it’s not, and I think the people of Farnham have been treated disgracefully on every front.”
This is not the first time Crest Nicholson have faced criticism about their work as they were forced to rebuild the roof on the Grade II-listed Brightwells House.
A walk around the site with paperwork in hand shows that key details involving doors, windows, walls and roof features don’t match the original approved drawings.
And although these details are minor when viewed individually, they all add up, making Brightwells not as dazzling as it should be.
Look beyond the new paving on East Street, for instance, and you’ll see that the grey pavement stones pointing shoppers towards Brightwells Yard don’t line up. And while the central green space has its charm, the turf feels incredibly uneven if you walk across it, like it’s hiding a multitude of sins.
Businesses such as Jetts Gym, Pirate’s Landing and more were due to have already been operating earlier this summer but their units remain empty, with both firms saying their late arrival is no fault of their own.
Speculation around Crest’s omissions of the details and the recent burst of activity around the site prompted a rumour they were facing an £8 million penalty, a claim denied by their managing director, Mark Foyle.
He said: “There has been speculation and rumours regarding a reported penalty payment for failure to reach practical completion by a fixed date in August.
“I can confirm that there is no such clause and it is regrettable that there has been such speculation on this matter.”
He went on to say: “We would like to make clear that Crest Nicholson intends to complete the development works in full compliance with the relevant consents and necessary building regulations.”
Certain changes to the original proposed drawings have been forced upon Crest by new regulations. An example of this is the timber cladding in the drawings which has been replaced by metal after the Grenfell disaster led to a change in regulation.
Before the development is due to open an independent expert monitoring surveyor will give the site the certification ahead of the practical completion date.
