A LENGTHY wrangle over a York flood prevention project which has damaged nearby properties may end up in the courts.

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is considering suing Yorkshire Water over its £776,000 scheme to install a huge storm tank in Union Terrace in 2013.

The aim was to to resolve flooding problems which had affected seven local properties over recent years but the work left the trust's nearby property at number 93 in a dangerous, uninhabitable condition.

Number 94 has also been badly affected, and its owner Liz Henley says she is 'very angry' at the prospect of legal action, fearing it would mean further lengthy delays before her home can be fully repaired.

She said: "I have been fighting this battle for over 18 months now and my neighbours and I are at the end of our tether."

She claimed she had woken up one night to feel her home 'trembling' and later found pieces of plaster and debris had fallen from the ceiling.

She had also come home one day to find some glass shelves, fixed to the wall in her basement, had collapsed, with everything on them smashed, including a family heirloom which had been passed down to her through three generations.

Her home was also suffering from damp as a result of the problems at 93 and scaffolding had been erected so remedial repairs could be carried out.

Ms Henley said she and residents elsewhere in the terrace were suffering 'profound on-going nuisance, inconvenience, anxiety and distress' caused by the state of the Trust’s property, and called for speedy negotiations with Yorkshire Water so that their properties could in turn be repaired.

Rosey Casimir, who lives at 96, claimed she had tried to raise concerns about the proximity of the storm tank to the properties at a consultation meeting before the work started but they were dismissed by Yorkshire Water.

She said that while her property was less affected than Liz's, its value had been reduced by £100,000, making her currently unable to sell it, and she felt she was a victim of 'corporate lethargy.'

A Hospital Trust spokeswoman said it had every sympathy for Union Terrace residents and the difficulties they were facing.

"The residents, including the Trust, are victims of accidental damage as a result of the action taken by Yorkshire Water, and since the problems came to light we have been working hard to resolve them," she said.

"Unfortunately this has not been successful, and we are now seeking advice as to the possibility of taking legal action against Yorkshire Water.”

A Yorkshire Water spokesman said: “We have not received any legal proceedings from the NHS Trust and discussions are ongoing.

"We are meeting with the NHS Trust next week for further discussions and are committed to resolving this issue for our customers as amicably and quickly as possible.”