Complaints over Parc Mawr housing construction site

A HOUSEBUILDER has apologised after residents complained about lorries queuing before 8am to get into a large construction site in Penllergaer.

They said their cul-de-sac had seven or eight lorries waiting to enter the Parc Mawr development on September 13 up to an hour before the site opened at 8am, and that the constant movement of vehicles was a pain.

They added that the early lorry arrivals – with some apparently leaving their engines running – had happened from time to time since work got under way off Brynrhos Crescent in January.

Tony Richards, of Brynrhos Crescent, said last week had been “horrendous” and that at one point he counted eight lorries waiting to get into the Bellway Homes development.

“People were telling me there were more lorries out of sight,” he said.

Mr Richards, who has lived on the road for 36 years, said he felt there was a lack of communication between the housebuilder and residents. He and others have reported their concerns to Penllergaer councillor Wendy Fitzgerald.

Mr Richards said he was disappointed that Brynrhos Crescent had ended up being the only access point for Parc Mawr’s first phase of 184 homes.

Bellway Homes has outline planning permission for up to 850 new homes, a primary school and link roads at Parc Mawr – a huge development between the A4240 to the north, A484 to the south and Swansea Road to the east.

Raymond Watson, also of Brynrhos Crescent, claimed emergency vehicles could have a problem accessing the road if several lorries and trucks were parked on it.

Mr Watson said the regular beeping of reversing lorries, although he understood it was for safety reasons, and dust from the construction site were frustrating.

“I came here to retire, and put a nice balcony and gazebo out the back,” he said. “My balcony now looks down on the site.”

Cllr Fitzgerald said she had taken up residents’ concerns with Swansea Council’s planning department, and added that deliveries were only supposed to take place after 8am when the site opened.

“All residents continue to pay full council tax, yet have totally disrupted lives,” she said.

Bellway Homes said it always looked to limit the impact of its construction activities on neighbours.

“In relation to delivery vehicles queuing to enter the site, we have spoken to our supply chain partners to ensure there is no repeat of such instances in the future,” it said. “Although this has only happened on limited occasions, we apologise to our neighbours for the inconvenience caused.”

It added that it took dust mitigation very seriously and that an on-site water bowser was used, especially during dry weather.

Road cleaning, it said, also took place on Brynrhos Crescent and new roads within the 184-home scheme.

The new homes being built at Parc Mawr are being marketed from £232,995 to £489,995.