In a previous version of this story, the Telegraph & Argus mentioned Reside Commercial's outline planning application for 12 houses on a field off Woodlands Grove - this was approved in 2018. The newspaper wishes to clarify the company, Reside Commercial, no longer owns the land recently used by another developer to build houses.
Bradford Council has launched an investigation after residents raised concerns about a new housing development.
It is almost five years since outline plans to build 12 houses on a field off Woodlands Grove, Queensbury, were approved.
The controversial proposals attracted numerous objections from neighbours, but was later approved by members of the Council's Regulatory and Appeals Committee.
Residents and councillors claim the developer behind the new builds has not followed the approved plans.
The houses have not been built at road level, residents say, meaning some gardens are raised above existing properties.
Some of the houses have reportedly been built on a pile of rubble in the middle of the site while the developer has built a tall wall with breezeblocks instead of a wooden fence.
A spokesperson for Bradford Council said: “The Council is aware of concerns raised by residents and has been in contact with the developers agent about the work being undertaken. Investigations are ongoing at this time.”
The Telegraph & Argus attempted to contact the site's developer but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Councillor Alex Mitchell (Labour, Queensbury) said: “Residents tell me the situation is unbearable. New developments always cause a bit of disruption, but this is proving a nightmare for the people living next to it.
“It is important that developments are the best neighbours they can be and that they respect the residents who already live near by, and as things stand this simply isn’t good enough.
“Councillor Johnson and I are working with residents and the Council to make sure that all concerns are addressed by the developer.”
Joanne and Phillip Royle, who moved onto the cul-de-sac seven years ago, described the situation as horrendous.
“Whoever moves in can take one step and they’re in my garden,” she said.
“The last 18 months have been horrendous. Everybody has had enough.
“We want to sell but nobody’s going to buy the houses now.
“They’re far too close.”
Another resident said: “It’s affecting us big time. We’re on about selling.”
The site of the new builds previously attracted the interest of another developer, but the plans were repeatedly rejected due to issues with access to the site.
A snippet of the agenda report from 2018 reads: “In 1998 the Council itself had considered the access to be unsuitable. There were problems with the local drainage.
“If planning permission is granted it is recommended that planning conditions are imposed to ensure that the site is developed with separate systems of foul and surface water drainage on and off site and that there shall be no piped discharge of surface water from the development prior to the completion of surface water drainage works.
“A development of 12 dwellings could be provided on site, whilst maintaining adequate separation distances from neighbouring properties.”
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