FURIOUS residents living on an idyllic estate have slammed developers after being promised wildflower meadows – but ended up with a jungle of 3ft weeds and paths that look like they’ve been struck by an earthquake.
Work started on the 79 new build property development, Nightingale View, within the village of Hamstreet, near Ashford, Kent, nearly three years ago before it opened in 2024.
Alan Brown, a resident at Nightingale View, stands next to a long row of seemingly dead tree sapling Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Areas of ground which were supposed to be wildflower meadows, have been left as muddy pitches Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
The estimated £400,000 to £550,000 homes were marketed with a countryside feel overlooking fields.
But residents claim landscaping has been virtually non-existent – with out-of-control weeds growing where flowers should be, and tree saplings planted having already given up and died.
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Meanwhile, the tarmac paths have cracked – leaving the feel of a ghost town after a natural disaster has struck.
And they argue tarmac footpath cracks have left some weeds growing 3ft high.
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Huge cracks have formed across a number of pavements Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Patchy grass and miss-matched fix jobs have left the place looking untidy Credit: Ray Collins
The site also boasts an 11-a-side grass football pitch which has hardly been used and a large pond which appears overgrown.
Residents say they have taken to cutting the grass areas themselves to keep them tidy – but wonder what exactly their maintenance fees are covering.
The concerns have led Ashford Borough Council to investigate whether any breaches of the planning permission have occurred.
Nightingale View was first built by Bovis, part of the Vistry Group, but maintenance has been handed over to new company Gateway.
Weeds are taking over the paved grounds, forcing residents to take matters into their own hands Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
A comparison picture from Canterbury of how The Nightingale Estate should look Credit: Ray Collins
But residents who originally paid £245 annually for services have now been given an annual estimated service charge – including ground maintenance – of £605.56p due from October.
Marion Jolin, 76, a retired GP receptionist, has lived on the estate with husband Cliff, 77, for just over two years.
The grandmother-of-one told The Jattvibe: “Look at the state of it, I mean it’s dreadful.
“We’re supposed to have bulb planting and wild flowers, there’s supposed to be seating area where residents can meet up but that’s not appeared.
Resident Marion Jolin described the estate as ‘dreadful’ Credit: Ray Collins
A patch of muddy grass that was supposed to be covered in flowers Credit: Ray Collins
“We’ve been taken for mugs really. We’re all quite put out about it.”
The couple, who bought their house for £550,000, added: “They just haven’t maintained anything. It is frustrating.”
Alan Brown, 64, and wife Anne, 69, moved from North Ayrshire in Scotland to the Nightingale View estate in September 2023 to be close to their two grandchildren.
Alan said: “Even before we bought the house, we were given a map called the landscape master plan and it looked lovely.
“I know it’s an artist’s impression, but it had terms like an ‘avenue of trees’ – it said it would all be landscaped, short grass and in the middle of the grass there would be bulbs, that’s the verges.
“Some of the grass would have what they called meadow wildflowers.
“None of that has been put in.”
He said a lot of the site was weeds, mainly ox tongue.
The estate includes a football pitch Credit: Ray Collins
The estate is now operated by Gateway Credit: Ray Collins
Alan added: “There’s anger here. I am angry that we’ve come here and we were promised and that it would be a pleasant, ecologically friendly area to live and it’s not.”
Another resident Dan Cheshire, 37, said: “We were told there was going to be this and that, and they’ve just not delivered on the majority of it, really.
“We have a tree in the front lawn, and it was planted at an angle, and it’s forever gone further and further over.
“Everything is pretty much dead. Even the back garden. I’ve been in battle with them to relay the back garden.
“When we moved in it was all green, then it turned to mud. They re-turfed it, and now it’s all mud again – because they haven’t put the foundations in for it to grow.
“Across the drive from us that’s meant to be a wildflower meadow, it’s just weeds.”
Sharon Guilfoyle, 60, who has lived on the development for 15 months, said: “The landscaping is appalling. The tarmac paths have cracked.
“We reported the path, but nothing. Next door have had their garden done two or three times.
“The gardens are not good.”
But bucking the trent somewhat, Egas Pinto Basco, 37, a video game developer, has lived on the estate for a year and does not seem to have the same complaints.
He said: “I do see them mowing the grass every now and then, every few months or so. I saw them once re-seeding the grass itself, only once.
“I think it’s fine. I’ve moved here from London where no one cares – people care here more.”
A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of some of the landscaping issues raised concerning the development at Nightingale View and are currently investigating them to determine if any planning breaches have occurred.”
A Vistry spokesperson said: “We recognise that some residents at Nightingale View are disappointed with the landscaping, and we are sorry it has not yet met expectations.
“Vistry will fund all necessary remediation, including replacing any dead or missing trees and resolving wider landscaping issues, and residents will not be asked to cover these costs.
“While day-to-day management has transferred to Gateway, we remain responsible for putting things right and are focused on bringing the development up to the intended standard.”
A spokesperson for Gateway said: “Gateway has been managing Nightingale View on behalf of Nightingale View (Hamstreet) Management Company Limited since 8th May 2026.
“Since our appointment, we have been working closely with both residents and the developer to address the concerns raised.
“We can confirm that remedial works will be carried out on behalf of the developer to rectify specific issues on the estate, including the cracked tarmac.
“These works will be funded by the developer and will therefore be at no additional cost to residents.”
