'We have lost £100k due to roadworks delay'

A construction firm has been fined £2,000 per day for delays to roadworks, which a local business says has cost them £100,000 in lost income.

The owner of Birchgrove Garden Centre, on the outskirts of Pinchbeck, which has been cut off from the town by roadworks on Surfleet Road, said the closure had been "devastating".

Lincolnshire County Council issued the fine after inspections of works revealed "limited to no activity taking place" when they were meant to.

Burmor Construction apologised for the delay, and said natural conditions were making the connection "very difficult".

The work connects a new housing estate to utilities and had been due to finish on March 6.

The council agreed to an initial two-week extension because of "difficult ground conditions" but refused a further delay to the project, instead issuing the fine for every day the works carried on beyond 22 March.

Gary Slator, managing director of the garden centre, said: "The impact on us has been devastating.

"We've been shut off from the town and there's a 10-mile detour to get to us. By the end of this month, we'll be £100,000 down in takings."

Slator said he hoped the fine would "focus their minds on getting the job done quicker".

Residents said the roadworks had caused disruption.

"I think it's grossly unfair on the people," John Whitelam said.

"The work has obviously got to be completed but they've gone way over the time arrangement and it's affected too many people and businesses in the area."

William Redfearn added: "I'm disgusted at the time it's gone on and the inconvenience it's caused to everyone, and business."

Natalie Goddard said she had taken the 10-mile detour to see a friend at the garden centre's restaurant.

She said "it was right" there were fines for the construction firm responsible.

"It's having an effect on businesses, so yeah, I think the building company should take responsibility for it," she said.

Luke Boekstyn, director at Burmor Construction, said the firm was "naturally disappointed and apologetic" that the extension had been necessary.

"We are fighting against natural groundwater and running silts, making the connection very difficult," he said.

He added he hoped the county council's penalty could be used and recycled into the community rather than the authority's purse.

Ashley Behan, traffic manager at the council, said: "I am extremely disappointed that road users, residents and local businesses will face yet more disruption as a result of continued delays to this developer-led scheme.

"The county council is not permitting any further extensions, yet works are still likely to continue until 29 March."

Behan added that fines do go "back into the council highways budget and are reinvested through that".

He said "they cannot legally go back to residents and businesses as the work is being carried out under valid permission".

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