Locals say that housing developments signed off in previous years have left them with inadequate street drainage and footpaths.

The issue was raised at a council meeting earlier this month, with councillor Grant Tillett saying that an investigation was required as problems were "beginning to surface".

Residents have highlighted a marked contrast between a "Stage 1" of the village, completed in the 1970s with traditional township infrastructure, and more recent developments.

For Neil Black, the housing is "sensational" but the finishing on the street leaves a lot to be desired.

On Diamond Drive where he lives there are open swale drains with culverts beneath the driveways, and no footpaths between properties.

"I bought the house the way it was, but you expect the whole thing would eventually be finished off," he said. "It doesn't look like they had any intentions of finishing it."

Mr Black says the area should have been treated as a township area, which would have meant kerb and channels installed throughout.

He also expressed concerns about the lack of pavements, which he said created unnecessary risks for dog-owners residents feel they are poor quality and unlikely to last.

On a tour of the neighbourhood, he highlighted a lack of bus stops - meaning the suburb's many schoolchildren gathered by the side of the road in the morning - and public transport, meaning residents were almost completely reliant on cars.

Jenny Ure also lives in the neighbourhood and shares many of Mr Black's concerns. She said she worried about her grandchildren falling into the drains, especially during flooding.

"I had to be very, very careful they didn't get away from me," she said. She believes there is a real issue with erosion, which makes her feel unsafe using her ride-on mower.

Residents had raised the issue many times, she said, but no action had been taken.

Alistair Gull of the development team Gull & Company, told The Courier that the open swale approach was agreed upon in advance with council. It aimed to give the area a rural feel, he said, and was not chosen to keep the cost down.

He said that people loved the developments and that stage four, which is currently under construction and will include a reserve and parklands, was also proving popular.

"If council have approved something and it hasn't held up, there is only so much we can do as a developer," he told The Courier.

The council's director of infrastructure and development Terry Demeo meanwhile said they were gathering information on the issues, and would put together a detailed response to Cr Tillett's query.

"We are aware of some of the matters raised by the residents and there is a significant history to the establishment of Cardigan Village, which was a unique product of its day and as such there are some legacy issues," Mr Demeo said in a written statement to The Courier.

He said that once they had reported to council, they would be in a better position to outline any action they could take.

Mr Black and many of his neighbours, meanwhile, will continue to push for the improvements - and bring Cardigan Village up to the same standard he says are enjoyed by residents of new-build areas such as Lucas.

"A lot of people are complaining," he said. "It's about time we did something."

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