North East England is a region of contrasts. Wild, rugged landscapes dominate the north of this corner of England, while the south is more widely populated, with major cities and arable land. In the north of the region, Northumberland sits on the border with Scotland. It’s the least populated ceremonial county in England and has a culture closer to the Scottish Lowlands than England. To the south, the local identity is shaped by the cities: Newcastle upon Tyne, Durham and Sunderland, along with key towns such as Middlesbrough, Gateshead and Darlington.
Avoid at all costs!
Blyth is a long dead town, with issues that were conveniently hidden from new buyers during the pandemic. Antisocial behaviour is rife, much of it related to problems with drugs and alcohol. The main road that feeds into the estate (Cowpen Road) is listed as one of the most deprived areas in the North East, with the surrounding estates full of council houses that look as though they should have been condemned long ago! There are shops on the doorstep, however the staff all appear to be typical Blyth residents (i.e. not very intelligent, and incredibly ignorant to boot). The transport links are fine, if you want to take an hour or more to reach the City centre and the like, with a tour of the worst parts of the area thrown in! The spine road in this area is lethal, with accidents and fatalities reported on an almost weekly basis! There are some bars and places to eat, but a visit to the Waterloo is like taking your life in your hands, and that’s during the week! I despise this place and everyone in it, and cannot wait to be able to sell my home and move somewhere, anywhere (!) with even a shred more civility than this place. You may get more house for your money in Blyth, but there’s a reason for that . . .
Please review your development:
The development remains incomplete despite many residents having been here for several years. It takes an age for Gleeson to respond, much less take action, and the company that have been ‘finishing’ the roads are weeks, if not months behind. Gleeson are however quick to complain to residents when they feel their gardens are not being upkept, however what they fail to realise (or acknowledge) is that they and their contractors are the ones that create the mess/damage in most cases! Parking is just about non-existent, and if you’re looking for a path to walk on, some streets are to be avoided because there is none! The layout is a total mess, with some houses set further forward/back than others, zero symmetry, and wonky lines as far as the eye can see. The ‘fencing’ Gleeson install (if you’re lucky!) is such poor quality that you can clearly see right into many gardens, meaning little to no privacy. The gravel that has been used for drives and gardens ends up all over the estate, making it look even more of a mess. The gardens may as well be left bare, as numerous residents have had issues with water drainage (surprise, there was none!), bricks/debris left behind and grassed over, and general overall quality. Many of the gardens are dead or dying as a result. You can of course contact Gleeson for any issues, but you may as well write them on a piece of paper and set fire to it for all the good it does. You either get turned away, a bodge job repair, or told that it’s your responsibility and that’s that. Gleeson DO NOT CARE once a sale has been made, that much is clear
Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:
Do your research on Blyth. Luckily this estate is on the outskirts, but this area is so deprived it definitely shows. There is constant talk of new jobs, new transport links, regeneration of the town centre, but it will take YEARS for the town to catch up
How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:
As stated in other responses (and comments by others) if you have an issue here, you’re pretty much on your own. Gleeson will either deny it exists, bodge job to fix it, or just tell you it’s your responsibility. They had around 7 different site managers in 18 months, if that tells you anything!
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