Villagers 'prisoners in own homes' over noisy building work just yards from door

15 October 2023 , 10:38

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Residents on a street in Cornwall have been left 'trapped' in their homes and unable to sell or move because of noisy building work (Image: Greg Martin / Cornwall Live)

Villagers say they've been left "prisoners" in their own homes over a noisy construction site causing misery.

Residents in Bodmin, Cornwall, claim they're being woken up at 7.30am by shouting and swearing from workers on the site, and have slammed developers for "terrible" communication. One woman living in the sleepy village said "we can't sell and we can't move," because of the noisy work. Developers moved in to the site in September after permission was granted two years prior for new homes to be built, and villagers say life has been hell ever since.

They say the work is inching closer to their homes each day, with concerns mounting about their privacy. Judy Stevens, 72, who lives on the street blighted by works, told of her horror after seeing a digger drive past her window while in her nightie. "It's really not pleasant and they've been shouting and swearing," she said.

Residents are furious at the ongoing work (Greg Martin / Cornwall Live)

"It's having a huge impact on the traffic and all I can hear is noise and all I can smell is fumes." The retired nurse who lives with husband Barrie, 73, said she felt the development plans "all went quiet" and then came out of nowhere when builders showed up last month.

Some residents weren't even aware the reserved matters application had gone in and been approved back in 2021, three years after an outline planning application. "It's truly awful," Judy told Cornwall Live. "We've worked hard our entire lives and now we're retired so we're here most of the time and we've just got no life at all. I think we've paid our dues."

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The site offices are due to be built right outside of her dining room window and she's expecting things to only get worse as the development progresses. Despite complaints, the developer has insisted it has met with all neighbouring residents to discuss concerns and remains available to respond to further enquiries.

The view from their homes which has become a building site (Greg Martin / Cornwall Live)

Hilda Blacklaw has lived on the road for 40 years and said she can no longer sit outside or invite anyone around. "We're not trying to be nimbies," she said. "We just have to put up with big machinery and groundworks until the end of the year and then what, another year of bleep bleep bleep which is even more irritating." She added: "If I want to do anything in the garden now I have to wait until the weekend and hope the weather is nice so I'm not spending much time gardening, which we're all meant to be doing for our mental health. It's horrible."

A planning application was submitted in 2018 to Cornwall Council for a new housing development, which was approved in 2021. The development will include 45 homes, ranging from flats to four-bedroom houses, with some being affordable rentals and shared ownership properties.

Debbie Connell, 62, owns a bungalow overlooking the new development which she inherited after her parents passed away. "It would have broke my parents hearts to see this," she said. "We had decking put in specially because they would sit out here and watch the world but there's absolutely no privacy now. We're stuck in limbo and at the mercy of these people. I was thinking about listing it on Airbnb for people to stay but we can't now given the noise, we just can't."

Debbie Connell says there in 'no privacy' since the workers moved in (Greg Martin / Cornwall Live)

Beatrice, 85, is perhaps the worst impacted by the development right now. She's housebound unless somebody else is able to take her out so there is no escape from the noise. "It's not nice for anyone," says Sarah Alcock, 55, Beatrice's daughter. "But at least people can go away whereas mum is here all the time and when they were ready to start they did come knocking but mum was at a hospital appointment so had no idea.

"They say nobody has a right to a view which is fair enough but this is about privacy and it is right in your backyard. We all have a right to enjoy what is ours, but she can't." Beatrice said: "I'm here all the time and they keep moving it back and I can see it." Judy added: "We can't sell and we can't move. We're trapped like prisoners."

Pensioner Beatrice feels trapped in her own home (Greg Martin / Cornwall Live)

A spokesperson for Countryside Partnerships, a Vistry Group company, said: "We have met with neighbouring residents in person to discuss any concerns they may have regarding working hours whilst also responding to queries from the local ward councillor. We remain readily available to listen and respond to any further queries.

"We are also in daily correspondence with our contractor carrying out these works to make sure that any disruption caused by construction is kept to a minimum. If it is found that work is commencing before the times agreed with the Council, we shall be reminding them of this requirement."

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Lisa Letcher