Building work stops at estate as neighbours woken up by diggers
LOCALS SAY RACKET STARTS AN HOUR EARLY IN ROW WITH FIRM
BUILDERS at a housing estate have stopped work after neighbours complained of being kept awake by diggers.
Bellway Homes, which is building more than 300 homes off Ashland Road West in Huthwaite, halted preparation work at the site after complaints from councillors and residents.
Homeowners allege the builders broke strict planning rules by starting work at 7am – an hour before conditions allow.
The housebuilder said it had agreed to the “temporary measure of pausing our initial preparation work to facilitate a meaningful conversation” with Ashfield District Council.
“They’re building these homes at the end of our garden and you could hear them start just after seven o’clock with diggers,” Alan Allwood, 76, of Norwood Close, said. “They were waking us up and we had to move into the front room.
“We went and complained and it stopped but we can’t be policing it all the time – it is mostly older people who live around here.”
Mr Allwood also claimed lorries were parking on streets they were not supposed to, entering the site via the wrong road, and had damaged a grass verge.
“We are all up in arms about what they are doing. They’re just trying it on,” he added.
Residents had opposed the development on the former farmland. However in December 2021, a Governmentappointed planning inspector overturned the district council’s refusal of planning permission.
Mr Allwood said that he had accepted the houses would now be built, but warned that residents would stand up for themselves if conditions were not met.
“We all feel this might just be the thin end of the wedge,” he said. “If they break any conditions or promises we’ll be on them like a ton of bricks.”
Although appreciative of the support from councillors on issues with the estate, Mr Allwood said he partially blamed Bellway’s eventual planning permission success on the council’s lack of a Local Plan, which sets out where different types of development should take place.
Council leader Jason Zadrozny, of the Ashfield Independents, said: “We stood shoulder to shoulder with residents to oppose this disgraceful development. Since work began, dozens of residents have been in touch complaining about the way this land is being developed.
“The only works currently being carried out is hedgerow protection. We will have no hesitation in taking legal action if any agreement is broken on recommencement of works.”
The council has updated residents and asked them to get in touch with any further concerns once work restarts. Councillor Tom Hollis, who represents Huthwaite and Brierley for the Ashfield Independents, added: “Councillors Paul Grafton, Jason Zadrozny and I remain disappointed that the Conservatives in government granted planning permission for the houses at Ashland Road West, but that does not mean that the developers can behave in the disgraceful way they have. “We have forced them to stop work until our conditions are met.”
Property firm Bellway said it was following its approved plans and had paused temporarily to discuss neighbours’ concerns with the council.
“As a responsible developer, Bellway takes all its responsibilities extremely seriously,” a spokesperson said. “We are aware of issues raised relating to our Ashlands development and have taken the temporary measure of pausing our initial preparation work to facilitate a meaningful conversation with the local authority while we address these concerns.
“Bellway has received the relevant planning consents for the works being undertaken. We have an approved construction management plan, approved by Ashfield District Council, which we are following.”
If they break any conditions or promises we’ll be on them like a ton of bricks
Alan Allwood, 76