Resident complains of ‘clouds of dust’ due to building work on 110-home development in Gateford

Bellway Homes has started work on its 110-home Gateford Quarter housing development, off Gateford Road.

However, Hamish McDonald, of Thorlby Drive, Gateford, says his house has been filled by dust from the neighbouring building work, which had been worsened by one of the driest summers on record.

Mr McDonald, aged 77, complained to the site manager who began to use two water bowsers, but said the bowser being towed along the site was ‘making more dust than the bowser was controlling’.

Bellway said it was working to mitigate the issue.

Although recent rain has helped matters, Mr McDonald said the builders have a duty to control the dust.

He said: “While they have done something to control the dust, they’re not allowed to contaminate people’s houses. It just continued, so they weren’t controlling it.

“I don’t care how much work they have to put in to control the dust – they made a mess of our house and therefore, we should have a right for them to clean it.”

Mr McDonald said he and his wife, Anne, were forced to buy ‘a lot more’ cleaning products to keep their home clean, but even after cleaning a surface, it was ‘filthy’ just hours later.

When dust levels were at their worst, it was covering their car and motorhome and all the way through their home – even with the windows shut.

He contacted Bellway Homes customer service about the mess caused by the dust, where he was told they would not be able to reimburse the couple for the cleaning products.

He said: “While the builders have done something to try to protect us from the dust, nevertheless it has caused a major nuisance and somebody is responsible for this.”

A Bellway spokesman said: “We appreciate dust can be an inconvenience to nearby residents.

“While every effort is made to minimise the presence of dust, it is inevitable that some will be created during dry periods.

“The accepted method of mitigating dust is through the use of water.

“The construction team has been damping down the site, but there is a need to consider the volume of water used for this purpose at a time when it is a resource in short supply.”