A Tullichewan resident has hit out at West Dunbartonshire Council after claiming local authority vehicles ripped up the road surface and damaged pavements.
Woodlands Court local Robert McFarlane contacted the Lennox following a spate of incidents linked to the temporary building yard located opposite the playpark in the residential street.
Last year we told how the yard was set up without notice being given to residents, and was being used to store render and roofing materials being used in nearby Haldane.
As well as having to deal with the noise of a diesel generator, residents now say that they have seen damage caused to the road and pavement surface by heavy vehicles, that skips have been left in the road and that building material has blown into the children’s playpark.
Residents have been told that the yard will remain in place until at least August.
Speaking to the Lennox prior to a meeting with the local authority this week, Mr McFarlane said: “There is a constant stream of large lorries coming up Woodlands Court. I worked in the building trade for 40 years. I know my way around building sites and road construction. These lorries are so big that they can’t negotiate some of the turns.
“They are having to drive up the footpath and it’s been going on for some time.
“There are lorries going up the footpath, they have broken branches off trees planted by the council because they are so high.
“So they’re vandalising their own property. A month or so ago there was a big skip on rollers planted right in the road. They shouldn’t be putting those on the road in the first place.
“The surface had been gouged quite severely when they were trying to get the skip back onto the tracker unit, gave it some welly and there was wheelspin. It’s dislodged tar on the road, dislodged some of the kerb.
“There have been forklifts driving on the grass. There are large light materials being stored and that’s blowing across to the children’s play area opposite it. It’s getting ridiculous.”
He has called on the council to supervise the work more thoroughly, adding: “The compound should never have been put there in the first place. It should’ve been in one of their empty industrial units. I’ve walked the street with the project manager and pointed out the damage caused to the roads by skip movements.
“It feels like there’s a complete lack of supervision from the council towards this project.”
A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council said: “We are sorry for any disruption caused by this compound, which is supporting housing capital investment works aimed at long-term energy efficiency improvements for our residents.
“While the use of the site adheres to all health and safety requirements, we will take residents’ feedback on board.”
