PEOPLE living near to a controversial York housing development have said tensions are rising between residents and those working at the site.

Residents living in Holgate’s Holly Bank Grove, where in 2009 planning permission was given to develop garages into eight houses off the cul-de-sac, have complained of a catalogue of problems with the work.

Police were called when builders were apparently unable to find the owner of a car. Neighbours said it was moved out of the way without the owner’s permission.

They also claimed a garden wall near to the narrow road used to access the site was knocked down by a large vehicle.

Concerns have also been expressed about materials being hoisted over neighbouring gardens, large vehicles trying to manuoeuvre on to the site and about how fire engines would be able to get to the buildings in an emergency.

However, the manager of the building site said they were working with residents as much as possible and had been given the go-ahead by planning permission.

One resident said: “They worked for a few months clearing the garages and then the work stopped for about a year and has just recently resumed again. Each time a lorry enters or exits, myself and the neighbours opposite me fear they will crash into the walls.

“My fear for the future is that any removal van or delivery van which happens to need to drive to the future houses will not realise the narrowness of the street and more damage to neighbouring properties will occur.”

Another resident said: “They have been trying to get lorries in there that are not suitable. They are not just big lorries, they are massive tipper trucks.

“There’s quite a bit of bad feeling in the street about it.”

In 2009, locals launched a Save Our Street campaign when the idea was first proposed and appeared to have won when the planning application was withdrawn in October 2009. Many locals had objected to the plans, citing traffic and privacy concerns.

But the plans were given the go-ahead in December 2009. City of York Council leader James Alexander, who represents the area, had organised a petition against the proposals, and said at the time he was “extremely disappointed” with the decision.

The manager of the site said they were developing on land which had already been granted planning permission by City of York Council.

He said: “I do not see we are doing anything wrong. We are not there to cause any problems, we have not got anything personal against anyone.

“This is more of a planning issue.”