Residents of a Bonhill estate have hit out after claiming they have been plagued by works carried out by a developer acting without permission.
Homeowners in quiet Broomhill Crescent, on the fringes of Beechwood, say preparation of the ground for the erection of a single wind turbine is underway - despite no planning permission having been granted.
But the landowner says he is just resurfacing a road which he says he does not need permission for.
Applicant Harris Smith has lodged a planning bid with West Dunbartonshire Council, with the application receiving more than 60 objections.
He is seeking the go-ahead to create a single wind turbine with a 30 metre hub and 43 metre tip, as well as an access track, substation and agricultural shed.
But despite the application still waiting for approval from planning chiefs, residents have become embroiled in a stand-off.
The council has confirmed officers have attended on a number of occasions to establish the extent of works being undertaken and say “consideration is now being given to what planning enforcement may be appropriate”.
Homeowners have now become caught in a tense war-of-words with construction workers, but Mr Smith insists he is entitled to carry out the works.
One resident said: “We are having issues with lorries going through the estate because of a person who is supposedly building an agricultural building and wind generator behind the estate.
“He has had no planning permission to do any work and is quite happily destroying an old established hedgerow with a track. He has been told to stop but is carrying on.”
Another added: “This originally started and we had no idea what was going on.
“The council told us that the window for objections had passed but none of us had ever been notified.
“It turned out that there was a small ad in the Community Advertiser giving a description of ‘land east of Broomhill Wood’, nobody would have known where that was if they had seen it.
“These houses were bought by people who knew the land behind them was designated as green belt.
“There are a series of quiet cul-de-sacs, so no through road.
“Now there are 30 ton lorries trundling back and forward down these streets, they are having to reverse because they are missing the turn and then we have cranes coming round because the 30 ton lorries are stuck.”
They claim that a farm track which forms access to the controversial site - which lies beside residential bungalows at the end of one cul-de-sac, is now in poor condition as a result of the ongoing site works.
The irate resident added: “This is just a farm track at the end of a residential street, beside houses.
“It was never in great condition but it’s now 100 times worse and when it rains debris is swept off into the street and blocks the drains in Broomhill Crescent.
“There are lots of objections to this.”
But Mr Smith has denied carrying out illicit works and insists he is merely carrying out maintenance work on his own land.
He told The Lennox: “There is already a road existing there and it has already been put to the council that I don’t need planning permission to resurface.
“The council have come down and seen me, I have showed them the original road and they say ‘we can’t define whether it’s a road or not a road.”
Mr Smith added: “If there’s a road existing there, I’m allowed to resurface it, even if I was changing it from loose gravel to tarmac.
“This application is for a wind turbine and an industrial unit. There hasn’t been much construction, only people delivering loose gravel to tarmac the road have been coming through.
“This is not a ‘site’, it’s my land and I’m doing maintenance work.”
Leven councillor Jim Bollan - who represents the ward - confirmed that he also has concerns over the works and said he had been working with council officials to ensure proper process was being followed by the developer.
The veteran councillor said: “I share the valid concerns of the residents in Beechwood, Bonhill, regarding the work being carried out behind their estate by the developer who has applied for planning consent for one wind turbine.
“The planning application has not been to committee yet, but work has started on site with materials being brought on to the site and excavations taking place, to facilitate the pending application.”
“I am liaising with council officers to see what action we can take to make sure the developer, like all other applicants, complies with the planning laws and regulations.”
A spokesperson for West Dunbartonshire Council said that a Temporary Stop Order had been served on the site, with the situation being monitored.
She added: “We are aware of this site, and officers have attended on a number of occasions to establish the extent of works being undertaken.
“Consideration is now being given to what planning enforcement may be appropriate.”
