THE developers responsible for the build of a long-awaited shop at the Jennett's Park housing estate have refused to explain why work has stalled yet again. 

Persimmon Homes have refused to answer repeated requests for information about the shop, with even Bracknell's MP Dr Phillip Lee struggling to get answers on why work suddenly stopped around two months ago. 

The first residents to move into the new homes on the estate in 2009 were promised a neighbourhood shop would open within the year, but have spent seven years driving more than a mile to their nearest supermarket.

Great Hollands' councillor Peter Hill said the situation was "frustrating".

He said: "We have residents who bought houses on the grounds that these are the facilities they will have. There are promises they couldn't keep, there's a national shortage of GPs for example and the CCG wouldn't have funded such a small surgery so they couldn't deliver on a GP, but there's no excuse really why the shop isn't built.

"As I understand it there's some dispute between Persimmon and Redrow."

It is rumoured the dispute involves Persimmon not paying Redrow Homes around £300,000 to fill the financial gap of providing flats above the shop itself.

Cllr Hill added: "Since I was elected I've been trying to drum up interest in the shop, lots of places have expressed interest.

"What I'm worried about is that when they come to review the work, is how much money it will take to get back into it. The foundation steels will be rusted."

Explaining how he feels about the situation Cllr Hill said: "Frustrated is the nicest way to put it. Residents are absolutely fuming.

"The roads are getting done, if that's any consolation."

Despite the empty promises and repeated false starts on building the shop, Persimmon recently announced the firm's UK management would split a £600m pay plan over the next five years.

In one of the largest ever plans for a FTSE 100 company outside banking, Persimmon Chief Executive Jeff Fairburn could earn more than £100m. 

After failing to get a full answer from the firm about the Bracknell operation, MP Dr Lee said: "Having attempted to contact them on numerous occasions over the past two weeks, we eventually received a response and were told that Persimmon Homes are not able to provide any detailed information at this stage, but are working through the issues that are causing the delays.

"I have requested a meeting as soon as possible with Persimmon Homes and have written to the Chief Executive, stating my concern at the lack of communication and seeking a swift resolution."

The only response to the problem so far has come from Jon Fletcher, regional managing director at Redrow, the partner firm who make up the Jennett's Park Consortium, who said: "I can confirm that Redrow and Persimmon are working together with the agents involved to resolve the situation."

The company have also refused to answer questions from the News.

A total of 1,500 make up Jennett's Park, an entirely new neighbourhood built to house the growing Bracknell population.