'LIVING HELL'
Doctor blasts loud construction noise on nearby new-build estate that ‘starts before 7am’ and leaves her ‘knackered’
A DOCTOR has slammed loud construction workers for leaving her “permanently knackered” as they start before 7am.
Becky Douglas claims that the noise from the new-build estate being erected by her home in Hucknall, Notts, has been a huge problem for her.
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Dr Douglas, 32, says that the work on the second phase of the Abbey Fields neighbourhood initially started at 7.30am but has been getting earlier in recent weeks, including on Saturdays.
But the developers have denied Dr Douglas’ claims – stating that they do not start before 8am each day.
The GP, who works in Mansfield, claims that it has become impossible for her to have a lie-in after a late shift.
She told : "It's got worse recently. Initially it used to be starting at about half past seven and it'd just be kind of the banging and clattering of all the lorries going up and down.
"The worst was the reversing noise - I think when they were reversing back down the road again - and that started about half past seven every morning for the first couple of months.
"I don't really know what time they work until, I'm usually at work most days.
"They're now starting about seven every morning, including Saturdays unfortunately.
"I'd contacted the council after that to ask them if that was the correct thing. Certainly on the council website it suggests they shouldn't be starting before eight o'clock."
"It's just a never ending cycle because you can't catch up on your sleep and then going into work absolutely exhausted.
Dr Douglas
The developer of the estate, Bellway, has disputed some claims and said that they follow "all planning conditions as set out by the local authorities including work not beginning on site before 8am each day".
The doctor, who has lived on the estate for around five years before the second phase started added: "I tend to work shifts to some extent because I work for the out of hours service as well.
"Sometimes I don't get in until midnight or one in the morning. So trying to kind of lie in the next morning is just impossible - I'm just permanently knackered at the minute.
"It's just a never ending cycle because you can't catch up on your sleep and then going into work absolutely exhausted."
She lives in one of the 141 houses built in the first phase of the Bellway development, with the second phase creating more than 200 homes.
Officials from Ashfield District Council said Bellway has been told they must adhere to hours set out in a Construction Management Plan - which states work must not start before 8am.
'HEALTH AND WELLBEING'
Council chiefs said they were sorry to hear claims that builders appeared not to be complying with the plan.
Councillor John Wilmott, Ashfield District Council Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, said: “We are aware of concerns residents on the Abbey Fields development have raised regarding the operating hours on the site.
"We are working closely with Bellway to ensure these issues are resolved as soon as possible.
"Bellway have been told that they must comply with the hours set out in the Construction Management Plan, which sets out that work must not start before 8am.
"We are sorry to hear that they appear not to be complying with this, and are in contact with Bellway to ensure this issue is resolved.
“The Government has urged flexibility in the construction industry to ensure developments can be completed on time, but we do not expect this to be at the cost of resident wellbeing.
"We put the health and wellbeing of our residents first and will not tolerate housing developers flouting the rules that are set out in the planning conditions.
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"We continue to closely monitor the situation and work with Bellway to discharge outstanding planning conditions, ensuring the development be constructed in a considerate manner, as per the approved planning consent.”
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A spokesman for Bellway added: "Work has commenced on the second phase of our Abbey Fields development, per the planning agreement with Ashfield District Council.
"Bellway is adhering to all planning conditions as set out by the local authorities including work not beginning on site before 8am each day.”
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