Frustration as unauthorised building work continues

Residents in uproar at council inaction

RESIDENTS of Upper Eddington in Hungerford are “beyond frustrated” at the inability of planning officers’ to halt an unauthorised development.

Hungerford Town Council has formally objected after hearing that builders are flouting conditions imposed with the planning consent.

But on Monday night a meeting of the full town council heard that enforcement officers are powerless to intervene, even as the “gung-ho” development continues apace.

Planning permission for a two-house development at Upper Eddington was originally granted to Waddington Forbes Homes Ltd of Cookham, despite objections, in 2012.

But furious residents have demanded action after claiming that work, specifically forbidden by planning conditions, is ploughing ahead regardless – and the homes’ number of bedrooms has doubled from two each to four.

They also fear a landslide and claim their fences have been damaged.

Permission was granted for two detached houses with garages on land adjoining 14 to 19, Upper Eddington.

Now, however, developers have applied to vary 11 of those conditions, provoking uproar among residents of Upper Eddington, Waram Close, Linden Lea and Hamblin Meadow.

The town council has heard that developers have cut down trees, ripped up hedges and ploughed ahead despite pleas for them to stop.

At Monday’s meeting, Carolann Farrell said: “It’s beyond belief the local authority has no power to say: ‘You’ve got to stop – now.’ Is there nothing we can do? It’s very disappointing.”

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Martin Crane asked: “Can’t a building works officer enforce these conditions? Why isn’t an enforcement officer involved?”

But district councillor Paul Hewer (Con, Hungerford) said: “I agree it seems very strange. But an enforcement officer won’t act now they’ve applied retrospectively to remove the conditions. The developers have decided to take a huge gamble. They’re going gung-ho ahead and the worst case scenario for them would be to complete the houses and then have the application to remove the conditions refused. They will then go to appeal and, should that fail, the development would have to be removed.”

Meanwhile around 20 residents have lodged formal objections and a petition with 28 signatories pleads for enforcement intervention.

The man who sold the land to developers, John Holmes, who now lives in Slindon, West Sussex, has written to planning chiefs stating: “The developer was alerted to concerns about some trees on the site. What did he do? He cut them down and most of the boundary hedge as well. West Berkshire Council were alerted, by me, to what was going on and it was highlighted that the cutting was during the bird nesting and breeding period. Although I was told that the conservation officer would be alerted, nothing happened.

“It appears to me that the developer is not only ignoring the conditions laid down but is daring you to do anything about it. He seems to feel confident that if he pushes on, nothing will happen. What is going on is totally unacceptable.”

Local resident Lesley Roberts said she was “beyond frustrated” at the continuing, unauthorised work which, she said, has resulted in damage to her fence.

Others have said they are seeking legal advice over damage to their property.

A spokesman for Waddington Forbes Homes, Bill Forbes, said: “We would be like to work with the local community regarding any concerns. It is, at the moment, a building site. Our intention is to complete the works as quickly as possible.

"Currently we are working with the council to resolve some outstanding matters relating to planning conditions.”