Furious Harold Wood residents have been left in limbo as they push for greater enforcement of a development the council admits is contravening approved plans. 

The Recorder has previously reported on concerns from residents in Harold Court Road regarding the construction of four properties behind their homes. 

The residents claimed that construction work has been causing serious damage to a wall backing onto their gardens, leaving some worried that it could collapse and injure their young children. 

The issue has been exacerbated by allegedly limited communication with the developer, which is now a different company to that which submitted the application, and what the residents perceive as a lack of council action over the issues. 

A breach of condition notice had been issued by the council in September to Billett Developments, believed to be the developer.

One anonymous resident said the council has accepted, as communicated to the residents on December 23, that the houses are not being built in the locations specified in the plans. 

The developer had been issued a stop notice on December 14, they were told, which would prevent further work until January 11. 

The council had also told the developer that a new application was required. A spokesperson for the council confirmed one had been submitted, but it was “not in a valid form that can be processed”. As such, a new one is due. 

With the stop notice having run out on January 11, the resident, in emails seen by the Recorder, queried whether another could be issued to prevent works continuing. They were told this was not doable, a response they described as “staggering”. 

The council spokesperson told this paper there are currently “insufficient grounds” to serve another temporary stop notice, and so “it would be reasonable to await the determination of a planning application to regularise the development”. 

On whether the developer can continue working on the homes before it submits another application, the spokesperson added: “Unfortunately, the council cannot stop the owner/developer from carrying out any further work on site beyond the period covered by the temporary stop notice but they do so at their own risk unless and until permission has been granted.  

“While the council appreciates that it is very frustrating and disappointing for residents that the developer isn’t following the permission given by the planning inspectorate on appeal, regrettably, this in itself cannot be a reason for further action to be taken. The responsibility is on the developer to follow the approved plans.” 

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Frustrated with the council’s progress, the resident said they, and others, are planning on going to the ombudsman, having had their request for a stage two complaint refused.  

The Recorder has been unable to contact Billett Developments for comment.