by A group of residents have accused developers of building new homes in their housing estate 1.8m higher than originally planned.
Work began in 2019 on 49 homes in an old chalk quarry in Sittingbourne, Kent, and is expected to be completed within 18 months.
The development, by Moat Homes, is finally close to completion five years later, but those who live near it say it has been built in a different location and at a different height than planned.
Ann Smith, who has lived at nearby Lydbrook Yard since 1978, said she welcomed the plans for the new development when they were first proposed.
“We were delighted that it was affordable housing to bring in people we needed in Swale such as doctors, nurses and teachers,” she said.
However, she now says that three of the houses have been built in a different condition to the approved plan and that she now has three sets of upstairs windows looking directly into her property.
“The houses built behind us, plots three to five, are in the wrong location,” she said.
Recommended reading
“Moat Homes doesn’t solve anything. They couldn’t care less. It’s a case of the big boys against the little ones, I’m afraid.
“Things have gone on over the years and despite us raising complaints and questions – nothing has been done.”
Alan Belsom, 68, who has owned his property along Lydbrook Close for 10 years, claimed that some of the other new properties have been built 1.8m higher than planned.
“The location is extremely claustrophobic,” he said.
“When will the council be held accountable for their mistakes?
“Construction work started before the lockdown and is now complete except for the landscaping.”
Moat Homes said the houses have been built higher than intended to accommodate drainage issues, while Swale Borough Council said it is investigating claims the development differs from the original plans.
The same council ordered Moat Homes to demolish 35 properties it had built on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, which were nearly 1.5m taller than permitted, but an independent planning inspector gave the go-ahead for the development in 2016 after an appeal.
A spokesman for Swale Borough Council said they are investigating the claim that the houses in Sittingbourne differ from the plans.
Regarding the height change, he said a report was presented to the Planning Committee in December and is now available to the public.
“The assessment of changes in ground levels can be found in that report,” he said.
“It’s the ground levels that have been raised, not the height of the buildings. The planning committee deferred the application and it is still under consideration.
“Moat Homes was not given permission to do this. The ground levels have been altered without council permission and are subject to the current planning application, which is still under consideration.”
Sarah Butler, development and sales director at Moat Homes, said: “We have carefully considered the impact this new housing will have on neighboring properties.
“All the houses were built in the locations set out in the approved planning application.
“The height of some of the blocks has been changed to accommodate critical drainage solutions; planning officer Swale reviewed the revised levels and found that they would not have an unacceptable impact on the living conditions of neighboring residents.”
How do you look at and how do you object to a planning application?
People can see planning applications for housing developments on their local council’s website.
They can usually comment on an application online or in writing.
Residents may write to support or object to an application, or simply make a general comment about the application.
When objecting to an application, councils will only take into account valid reasons – these are called “relevant planning circumstances”.
Before objecting, people should check that the reason is valid – this includes loss of light; highway safety; traffic generation; noise and disturbance; trees and road access were lost.
Councils will ask commenters to provide a full name and postal address as they do not accept anonymous objections or letters of support.
