‘Dust coming through the roof, on the furniture and it’s in our lungs’
Residents living near a major Sunderland housing development under construction say they have been “left to suffer” for more than a year with noise, vibrations and dust issues.
The Hillfield Meadows development for 250 homes, off Silksworth Road, was granted planning permission in 2019, with conditions agreed with Persimmon Homes.
This included adequate protection against dust, with Sunderland City Council officers monitoring the development and responding to complaints from residents.
Following concerns, a temporary stop notice was issued to Persimmon Homes on Friday, May 28.
Despite the notice, builders are allowed to continue to carry out work as long as it is within the planning guidelines agreed.
Although Persimmon maintains dust levels are within the agreed limits, the local authority has said it will continue with daily unannounced site inspections to ensure the developer complies with conditions.
While accepting the housing development has planning permission, the residents said a lack of mitigation from site activities had often left homes, cars and gardens covered in dust.
They have since called for compensation from developers – citing health and well-being impacts from the dust and vibration sand alleged property damage to home furnishings and cars from dust/grit.
Vicarage Close resident Alan E mm er son, who has lived in the area for decades, said disruption from the site has impacted daily life.
“Living in your own home you can’ t open windows for the noise and the vibrations going through the brick work–it gets on top of you at the end of the day,” he said.
Fellow resident Debra Adams on said it had been a“pleasure to live in the area” before work started but it was now a “nightmare.”
And resident Lyn den Wallacesaid :“This place used to be the pride of Silks worth, it’ s just deplorable now.”
Vicarage Close resident SusanWatson said the legal notice was“long over due” and that the city council needed to give further reassurance to residents.
“We’re worried about the dust in our homes, it’s coming through the roof, it’ s on the furniture,it’ s in the carpet sand it’ s in our lungs,” she said.
“But it’s not just the grit and dust that’s the problem, the problem is we have been left to suffer.”
Earlier this week, a spokesperson for Persimmon said dust on site is being monitored
by a council planning officer.
Sunderland City Council confirmed the temporary stop notice “remains in effect until it is formally withdrawn or expires.”
Council leader, Cllr Graeme
Miller, said: “The concerns were not being adequately addressed and so, in the public interest, we had no hesitation in taking the formal action of issuing the temporary stop notice and further site monitoring.”
A Persimmon Homes spokesperson added: “We appreciate the inconvenience which may be caused by construction and take all our environmental responsibilities very seriously. Persimmon
Homes continues to work closely with planning enforcement officers at Sunderland City Council to ensure all planning and environmental management conditions on the site are being met satisfactorily.