Builders have been stopped from working on a new Huddersfield development after dozens of complaints from nearby residents.

Kirklees Council has served a temporary stop notice on Harron Homes, which means no more construction work can take place at the site off Crosland Road, Lindley Moor, for 28 days.

The work is halted until improvements, including a temporary drainage scheme, have been made.

But the company says it “very much regrets” the council decision, and has had to lay off some construction staff in the run up to Christmas as a result.

Residents have complained repeatedly about problems at the site, which include the road being caked in mud, drainage issues, and access and traffic congestion on surrounding routes at peak times.

Developers are building a new estate, Farriers Croft, which is just the start of large scale work on Lindley Moor, where dozens of new homes and industrial units will be built on green fields.

Building work on Crosland Road, Lindley
Building work on Crosland Road, Lindley

Lindley councillor Gemma Wilson has been contacted by more than 40 nearby residents about the situation.

“Harron has been aware of the problems on site for some time and were told in October that if they continued with the mud and the water on the road there would be a stop notice. They haven’t got their house in order and it’s right they have been issued with this temporary stop notice.”

And Clr Mark Hemingway has also received numerous complaints. “I have been inundated with phone calls over the last few days from residents who are absolutely fed up with the way that the developers have been treating them.”

Work at the site started at the end of summer, and residents say it could take up to two years to complete.

Lindley Tory councillors Mark Hemingway and Gemma Wilson.

In October, the council issued a Planning Contravention Notice ordering the developer to make improvement.

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: “The council has been monitoring construction works at Crosland Road and in particular measures the developer should have taken to ensure that watercourses are not unduly affected by water run-off from the site and that roads are kept safe from the use by construction traffic.

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“Whilst the council has been working with Harron Homes Ltd in an attempt to agree planning conditions, a significant number of necessary measures to address these matters remain incomplete.

Mark Hemingway's access to Romsey Close, blocked by a reversing wagon
Mark Hemingway's access to Romsey Close, blocked by a reversing wagon

“Under the circumstances we felt it necessary to enforce a temporary stop on the construction of the houses to ensure these steps are fully implemented on the site. We will continue to work with Harron Homes Ltd to make sure the development is carried out in line with the planning permission.”

But a spokesperson for Harron Homes said: “We very much regret the decision taken by Kirklees Council to stop work on our site at Lindley Moor. The recent adverse weather has caused some very challenging conditions on site and we are working hard to resolve these as quickly as possible.

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“However, the stop notice means we have now had to lay off construction staff just two weeks before Christmas. We are unable to address some of the problems raised with us due to the site being closed which could potentially exacerbate conditions further.

“We very much value our relationship with the council and with local people and we are urgently seeking a meeting with the council to resolve the issues that have been raised.”