By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Cheltenham residents had a rude awakening this week as vibration from works to build 147 homes on a town centre car park “caused cracks to appear in their walls”.
Ground works for the £55m Wavensmere Homes scheme at North Place car park began late last month.
But residents in Northfield Terrace have had to put up with a week of unexpected disturbance.
Emma Chetwynd Stapylton, one of the residents, has raised concerns about the works to Cheltenham Borough Council.
She said she has been “utterly horrified” by the impact the works are having on their houses.
“I work from home, as does my husband and we are not able to conduct phone calls or hear ourselves think,” she said in a letter to the council.
“On top of that, the house is shaking each time the large drill is used and they aren’t even near my end of the street yet.
“Cracks have appeared in my walls in numerous places throughout my house. What is this doing to the foundations and structure of the houses along Northfield Terrace?”
She told the council the houses in Northfield Terrace were built in the 1870s and is worried they won’t be able to withstand the vibration of the works.
“I realise that building has not yet started.
“We suffered when the Dowty Building was renovated and the ugliest flats on earth added on to the back of the building – none of which appear to have been sold.
“Cracks appeared in my house then. My elderly neighbours who live on Northfield Passage had a clock that fell off the wall during that building.
“There are many of us that work from home along this street and the noise is incredibly disruptive.”
Residents along the street are in favour of the development going ahead and agree it will provide much-needed housing.
But they say their construction should not be to the detriment of existing residents.
She added: “What happens when one of us tries to sell their house and a surveyor finds that there are cracks throughout and it is unstable – who will help us then?”
The Borough Council says they are aware of the issue and are currently investigating the concerns.
A council spokesperson said: “The council is aware of the concerns from the resident and is in the process of investigating.”
Wavensmere Homes and their contractors M Lambe Construction have yet to respond to a request for comment.
Wavensmere Homes and Montane Partners are on site to create the £50m Arkle Court development.
It follows the granting of planning permission last August. Initial site enabling works have begun and groundworks scheduled to start between April and June.
The development will be delivered sequentially from the eastern boundary with North Place, running anti-clockwise to improve the site frontage.
Arkle Court has been designed by architects Glancy Nicholls to complement the town’s Regency architecture and create a sustainable new community in the heart of the town centre.