Building work makes
BIRKDALE residents living near a care home development say building work is causing their walls to crack and windows to smash.
Construction work is under way to build a care village on the site of a former school in Oxford Road but those living nearby say they are being subjected to constant damage and disturbance.
As well as structural damage to houses, complaints include paint and sprays landing on cars, work taking place out of permitted hours, and dangerous parking from the various vans and lorries visiting the construction site.
Police have been called to the site over the parking issues, while one resident became so angered he used his car to block a lorry in the site for three hours after concerns about construction were ignored.
Another resident, Alan Fowler, moved into a house in Oxford Road in December 2017 and quickly went about carrying out extensive renovations.
But he said that life there had become “a living nightmare” and that the refurbishment work had been ruined by damage as a result of vibrations from piling work at the building site.
As well as constant noise and damage to his house, one issue which angered Mr Fowler was the use of a mist spray which covered his car and left him fearing permanent damage as the contractors refused to answer his queries.
He said: “For three days they sprayed our cars and houses with this mist. No warning was given.
“We are faced with breathing in whatever it was and they don’t stop because they’re just so arrogant. They eventually came back and said it’s water based so it’ll be fine.”
Alan said that while the head office of the construction firm working on the project, Pochin, listened to the complaints made, little or no positive action was taken at the site as a result.
He also said that those working on the site had been dismissive of any complaints and were quick to pass on any blame.
Plans to build the care home, on the site of the former Sunshine House blind school, were rejected by Sefton Council in March 2016, only for the decision to be overturned by the Government on appeal.
That decision sparked anger among residents and that feeling has only been worsened by the damage and constant noise caused by construction on what will become a facility offering accommodation to 100 people.
The £14m development is also expected to offer a range of facilities open to the public – including a bistro, hair salon, exercise studio and function rooms – which unhappy residents say contravenes the terms of the original planning application.
Mike and Sue Morris, who have lived in Oxford Road for five years, have faced a catalogue of broken items in their home since construction began last Spring.
Among a list of major damage suffered through months of heavy construction, their home of five years has suffered smashed windows, cracked ceilings, tiling falling from an external wall, and cracks in bedroom walls and in the porch.
The ceiling damage has also caused water ingress, while leaks have been found in the garage and damage uncovered around the gas fire.
They fear further unseen problems affecting plumbing and flooring are yet to be known.
To make matters worse, they have been told by their insurers that they will receive no settlement until construction is finished as further problems are so likely, leading an anxious wait with fears for safety and financial impacts.
After their complaints to the builders and the company which will run the home, Belong, fell on death ears, the couple hope Sefton Council can do more to resolve their problems.
Mike said: “No matter what we say, they just ignore it. It’s unbelievable.
“We feel we’re at the end of our tether. Everyone we go to isn’t interested.”
Responding to those concerns, Belong said it believed all work undertaken was being done so within the required standards but those living nearby were adamant this is not the case.
Subsequent plans to erect a giant advertising sign further angered those living nearby but the company is said to have since withdrawn that planning application.
Cllr Sir Ron Watson has been acting as an intermediary between the residents and Belong and says the firm must do more in response to the complaints.
He also said the process of dealing with compensation for damage caused