Residents who live near an Alsager play area labelled a "dangerous eyesore" which has been fenced off for nine years, could have the opportunity to vent their frustrations at a meeting with Cheshire East.

Speaking at last Tuesday's Cheshire East cabinet meeting, Alsager ward councillor Rod Fletcher, sought an update from CEC regarding what action they had taken to solve the issue of the Swallow Drive Play Area.

Cllr Fletcher said: "Local residents have lost patience for what they regard as a dangerous eyesore."

Cllr Toni Fox, the council's cabinet member for planning, responded: "I am aware that this has been going on for a number of years, so I do thank you and the residents for your patience.

"Unfortunately, matters such as this have had to take a backseat during Covid-19, but I have raised this again with the head of planning.

"He has promised me an update and you will be provided with an update, with a potential for a meeting with yourself and residents to discuss options going forward in the near future."

Nub News spoke to Cllr Fletcher after the cabinet meeting to get a gauge on how long the issues surrounding the play area had gone on for.

The Poppyfields estate that consists of 120 houses, which was built around 20 years ago included a play area that formed part of the section 106 agreement.

A company called Jennings North West were the lead builders of the estate and they provided a play area.

The play area was not taken over by the former Congleton Borough Council. Nowadays, councils do not take over the responsibility of play areas, instead the developers have a duty to maintain them.

However, the Swallow Drive play area predated the change in maintenance responsibility.

Cllr Fletcher told Nub News that Cheshire East refused to take over responsibility of the Swallow Drive play area because "it was not up to the right safety standard".

The play area was provided on the other side of the Valley Brook, so the developers put a narrow bridge from the housing estate across the brook.

But the bridge was not wide enough for the council to take machinery over and maintain the play area.

Also, the banks of the Valley Brook were "unstable" and not deemed safe.

According to Cllr Fletcher, the housing developer Jennings North West then went bankrupt.

Cheshire East wrote to Jennings a number of years ago to inform the housebuilder that the play area was not their responsibility, but Cllr Fletcher insisted that the land was still owned by a shell company with no assets.

A shell corporation is a company or corporation that exists only on paper and has no office and no employees, but may have a bank account or may hold passive investments or be the registered owner of assets, such as intellectual property, or ships.

Residents who live within close proximity to Swallow Drive play area have safety concerns, but the area has been fenced off for the last nine years.

Cllr Fletcher highlighted that Cheshire East did carry out some safety operations on the area years ago, but technically they were trespassing on the land.

Prospect Homes who are building houses nearby on the other side of the Valley Brook on Hall Drive, have also put some safety fencing up to protect residents who have purchased one of their properties.

Cllr Fletcher felt Cheshire East had not been "strong enough" in trying to get the play area "safe in one way or another".

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats added: "I accept its difficult but there must be some means by which the council can take some form of action against a company that owns land and is doing nothing with it."

Cllr Fletcher told Nub News that he has an email trail regarding the play area going back nine years.

The play area was available to children when it was first built because Jennings North West were maintaining it before they went bankrupt around 10 years ago.

Cllr Fletcher has urged Cheshire East to contact the shell company who own the land to get the matter resolved.