Residents have complained that contractors wearing casual clothes ruined their weekend by causing unwanted noise.
One woman reported the incident to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). She told the ECHO the workers "ruined her weekend" by starting work at around 7.30am on a Saturday and Sunday.
The incident happened at the former Coconut Grove site in Tuebrook. The site is currently owned by Widnes based company Sourced Development Group (SDG), which plans to build an apartment scheme at the site on the corner of West Derby Road.
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The noise can be heard on a film clip shared with the ECHO. Photographs were also taken which show one of the workmen wearing a straw hat, leather sandals and what seems to be an expensive gold watch.
A worker operating a digger appeared to be without a hard hat. A spokesperson for the Sourced Development Group (SDG), which owns the site, said demolition contractors were responsible for the noise.
The spokesperson said the workers were contractors and not SDG staff. The incident happened on the weekend of August 13 and 14 at the Sourced site on the corner of Green Lane and West Derby Road in Tuebrook.
The woman who reported the incident to the HSE said: "It was supposed to have been a lovely summer's weekend but the noise ruined it. It was awful. I eventually went around to the site and that is when I noticed that the workers were not wearing hard hats or boots. I thought that was unusual.
"The man I spoke with was wearing a straw trilby, leather sandals and a gold watch. He said that 'they had to get the work done before the new owner's took over.'
"I have no idea what he meant by that. I have to say that he was very polite. I also noticed one of the lads operating a digger was dressed in casual clothes. He did not have a hard hat on."
A spokesperson for SDG said: "I confirm these men are not SDG operatives but are a demolition firm contracted to remove the soil on site."
The local resident also raised other concerns about the SDG site in Tuebrook. She claimed building materials have been dumped at the site and that some dumping has taken place in a nearby brook. She said this caused the brook to flood the area.
A spokesperson for SDG said: "We were contacted by a resident in relation to the debris in the brook and confirmed to them that this was not ourselves. The cause was illegal fly-tipping at the site and in the brook. We took action immediately once we became aware of the issue and had contractors attend the site for a survey.
"We are also working closely with Liverpool City Council to prevent future dumping into the brook which has included: installing a new pump system for drainage of the brook and flood prevention, replacing the debris screen, and building a wall abutting the brook. We have also installed security measures at the site to reduce future fly-tipping."
The Coconut Grove site on the corner of West Derby Road in Tuebrook was demolished in October 2017 after the council lodged an enforcement notice with the developer. This was before SDG bought the site.
Ward councillor Steve Radford, leader of Liverpool's Liberal party, has long campaigned on the future of the site. He said: "The open brook at the back of the site was blocked, causing flooding to nearby houses.
"It is alarming that the council authorities have been deaf to residents' concerns and protests about the poor safety of the site and the fact that on a key route into the city a developer has been advertising two different schemes of flats for investment, neither of which have a current planning approval or even a planning application in process."
A spokesperson for SDG said the company had proposed four different schemes over the last three years. She said the latest design was being revised to conform with the new local plan.
She said SDG wanted to take on board the preference of the current residents and ensure the view of the church tower was not blocked. She said the company was waiting for topographical and traffic management reports to be completed.
Formal plans would then be submitted to the council.
A HSE spokesperson said: “HSE has been made aware of the issues at the site and have discussed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements with the builders to ensure any necessary improvements are made."
A council spokesman said the local authority had not received any complaints about noise at the site. He said that any health and safety issues would be a matter for the Health and Safety Executive. He added that a council officer from building control would now look at the site.
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