‘It’s a blight on people’s lives’, locals fume as flapping flagpoles installed in the wrong spot ‘ruin’ estate

LOCALS are fuming after flapping flagpoles said to be a 'blight on people's lives' were installed in the wrong spot.

The row was sparked after Taylor Wimpey installed four flagpoles at their Oaklands development in North Yorks.

Council bosses kicked off after it emerged the flagpoles were erected in the wrong spot.

Taylor Wimpey then applied for retrospective planning permission and apologised for any distress caused.

The parish council was aghast and branded the plan "unbelievable." A Stockton Council planning meeting heard a raft of concerns from local councillors, reports.

Cllr Sylvia Walmsley said: "It does blight people's lives, noise, especially interrupting their sleep. I think really these flagpoles should be taken down."

Councillor Andrew Sherris, who represents Yarm, told the meeting: "Members who've read the report and the letter that's come in today can probably understand the sheer exasperation of residents in Kirklevington, who have had to put up with every single issue from Taylor Wimpey with regards to conditions that have been broken.

"And I think this is perhaps just another example, possibly the final straw for some residents.

"Taylor Wimpey were given permission but no, Taylor Wimpey have got to decide themselves where they want to actually install these signs. It's just come on top of a long list of problems, probably the worst site certainly in the Yarm/Kirklevington area.

"I just think it's complete overkill. I just do not see why they cannot put these poles in the positions that they were given permission for. So I certainly won't support it."

Cllr Tony Riordan said: "I criticise that we haven't got an enforcement resource within Stockton Council.

"This should have been a subject of enforcement, to enforce the original application, not bend over backwards to a large major developer who appear to be doing what they want and ignoring what this council has passed.

"It should be enforcement going back and saying, 'Shift your gear, put it where you were permitted to put it in the first place and don't be bothering us again.' This is a sop to what we're doing.

"It's not a slight on officers. We haven't got the resources, we should have the resources and we should be taking more enforcement when people, particularly developers, don't play the game."

Cllr Barry Woodhouse added: "I am annoyed about this. They should be made to take them down and put them in the proper place, end of story, no argument."

Cllr Norma Stephenson said: "It's, 'we didn't like the permission we got for the first one so we're going to do as we like after it.' It's overkill, they will make a noise.

"This isn't the first time we've had this issue with Taylor Wimpey. I just think they're upsetting the residents.

"Can't they come up with some sort of compromise and move them? I just can't see why they want to dig their heels in."

Planning officers recommended approval of the scheme, despite the concerns voiced at the meeting.

Principal planning officer Elaine Atkinson said two flagpoles could be erected to 4.6m-high without consent: "We have no control over that whatsoever.

"We know Taylor Wimpey have done what they've done, they've got it up. We can't just go in with enforcement, we give them the opportunity to rectify it."

She added the flags were made of thin material and she did not hear significant noise when she visited on a windy day.

Head of legal services Julie Butcher said: "Fully appreciate your frustrations, but we can't enforce simply because you think they should have complied with planning permission in the first place.

"They are entitled to apply to rectify the situation. You have to have expedient reasons to enforce because there's harm."

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: “We recognise the concerns raised at the Oaklands development and apologise to residents for any inconvenience caused. We remain committed to doing the right thing for our customers and all other stakeholders.

"As agreed with the Planning Department and Planning Committee we have removed a flag pole and have amended the retrospective planning application to reflect the original location.”