Background & History of Three & A Half Roads (Stowmarket) Ltd

The land now known as the Three and a Half Roads estate was originally part of the Strickland’s Estate, owned and operated by a convent. Nuns lived in the house known as Stricklands and ran a girls’ school from the neighbouring hall.

 

In April 1892, the estate was purchased by the Oddfellows Friendly Society. It was the Oddfellows who laid out the road network and sewer infrastructure, subdivided the estate into building plots, and marketed the land for residential development. The Oddfellows Hall, once used for lodge meetings, was later converted into six flats in 1985.

 

The origin of the road names lies in the full title of the society at that time:

 

The Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity Friendly Society, Loyal Temple of Friendship Lodge.

 

The trustees drew from this title to name two of the roads: Temple Road (formerly Fisks Walk) and Unity Road (possibly an old footpath).

 

Frontage Covenant

 

As part of the original development, a legally binding covenant was attached to the deeds of each new property. This covenant obligated each property owner to contribute to the ongoing maintenance and repair of the roads and pavements. Contributions were (and still are) calculated proportionally based on the frontage width of each property.

 

Ownership and Company Formation

 

Following the Oddfellows period, the roads eventually came under the ownership of Mr Sarginson, a local solicitor. Mr Sarginson enforced a strict Code of Conduct to protect the roads, including prohibitions on overnight commercial van parking and rules around caravan loading and unloading. This Code of Conduct, though revised over time, still exists today as part of the guiding principles upheld by the board.

 

After Mr Sarginson’s passing, the roads were put up for sale in 1995. A meeting of residents was held in the garden of No. 25 Temple Road, where it was agreed that the residents would collectively purchase and manage the roads themselves. This marked the formation of Three & A Half Roads (Stowmarket) Ltd — named for the three roads (Temple, Unity, and Kensington Court) and the southern half of Abbotts Hall Road.

 

To formalise governance, a private limited company was incorporated, and a solicitor was appointed as company secretary to ensure compliance with property deeds and frontage obligations.

 

In 1997, the company initiated legal proceedings against three residents for non-payment of their frontage contributions. The court ruled in favour of the company, reinforcing the enforceability of the covenant and the importance of shared responsibility for the upkeep of the estate.