Work on 49 homes on an old chalk quarry in Sittingbourne in Kent began in 2019 with plans to complete them within 18 months.
Five years on and with the houses nearly finished locals haven’t got what they had expected.
Ann Smith and Alan Belsom both own properties along Lydbrook Close near the development.
Ann has lived in her home since 1978 and welcomed the plans when they were first put forward.
She said: “We were quite happy that it was going to be affordable housing to bring in people that we needed in Swale such as doctors, nurses and teachers.
“We were very happy with that and we welcomed it.”
But now, she claims three of the homes have been built in a different position to the approved plan and Ann and her husband, 78-year-old Mike, have three sets of upstairs windows looking directly onto their property.
She said: “Residents all around the site in Adelaide Drive, Hobart Gardens, Borden Lane and Lydbrook Close have raised issues, but nothing seems to do any good.
“The houses that have been built out the back of us, plots three to five, they’re in the wrong position.
“Moat Homes doesn’t resolve anything. They couldn’t care less. It’s a case of the big boys against the little people, I’m afraid.
“Things have gone on over the years and despite us raising complaints and questions – nothing’s been done.”
A spokesman for Moat Homes says the houses have been built taller than planned to accomodate drainage issues, while Swale council is investigating the change in location.
Alan Belsom, who has owned his property for 10 years, has noticed some of the other new properties have been built 1.8 metres higher than planned.
The 68-year-old said: “The site is unbelievably claustrophobic.
“All the new houses are just crammed in and I can’t see an answer to it.
“When are the council going to be held accountable for their mistakes?
“The building work began before lockdown and it is all finished now apart from the landscaping.”
He’s also raised fears over parking which is already an issue for locals.
Ann, who has attended every public and resident meeting surrounding the build, fears Moat Homes will be let off the hook just as they were for another development in 2016.
Moat Homes was permitted to build 35 properties by Swale council in 2011 on land behind Seager Road on Sheppey.
But when the estate began to take shape, neighbours noticed the new buildings were higher than allowed – 11.19m instead of 9.75m – and overlooking their back gardens.
Swale council ordered Moat Homes to demolish all of them – many of which flouted planning permission – an independent Planning Inspector gave it the go-ahead after an appeal.
A Swale council spokesman said all planning applications are decided on their own merits regardless of any previous applications for the site and that any issues of non-compliance brought to the council’s attention are raised with its enforcement team.
When asked about the changes to the height of the new homes the spokesman explained that a report on the application was presented to the Planning Committee on December 7 and is now available to the public.
They said: “The assessment on changes to land levels is contained within that report.
“It is the land levels that have been raised, not the actual height of the buildings. The application was deferred by the planning committee and remains under consideration.
“Moat Homes has not been given permission to do this.
“The land levels were changed without permission from the council and are now subject to the current planning application, which remains under consideration.”
The spokesman also confirmed the council is investigating the claim the houses are different to the plans.
Sarah Butler, director of development and sales at Moat Homes, said: ”We’ve carefully considered the impact that this new housing will have on neighbouring properties.
“All houses have been built in the locations set out in the approved planning application.
“The height of some of the blocks was changed to accommodate vital drainage solutions; the revised levels were reviewed by the Swale planning officer who found that they would not cause any unacceptable impact on living conditions for neighbouring residents.
“We want our new homes to have a positive impact within their communities and have offered to attend a further public meeting with councillors and residents.
“We hope to be able to hold these discussions soon to address any concerns and discuss how we’ll manage these homes in the future.”
