Concerns over "privacy" have been voiced by neighbours as work has resumed on 106 new homes opposite existing residential houses. It. A new contractor has been appointed to continue work on council homes at the former Eastglade Primary and Nursery School site in Top Valley.
The principal contractor was Robert Woodhead Limited, but the company announced last September it had entered into voluntary liquidation, triggering mass redundancies. Nottingham City Council says 53 of the houses had been completed when Robert Woodhead informed the authority of its collapse on September 14.
Work has been under way since then to find a new developer and the Lovell Partnership has been appointed to complete the Eastglade project. The 106 new homes include 23 one-bed flats, 63 two-bed houses and 20 three-bed homes – plus open space for the whole community.
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New build developer Lovells is also working on the council’s Beckhampton site in Bestwood Park, where 131 council homes are being created. This includes two and three-bedroom houses, bungalows and flats - all being built on land that was a playing field for the former Padstow School, off Beckhampton Road.
However, some neighbours living directly opposite the Top Valley building site, in Henning Gardens, have spoken about their concerns, with resident Darrell Bennett saying: "I think the way they have been positioned is very strange.
"You can see straight into people's bedrooms and kitchens from the front of my house. There is no privacy.
"I think there is enough council estate being built here. There are not enough shops, GPs in the area.
"I get that we have a housing crisis - but are we just going to put some houses on a plot of land? I think it is strange."
The 49-year-old, a cleaner in the area, added: "There will be two or three people living in each of these houses, plus their cars. They are just clogging up the area. We do not have the infrastructure for it."
Gemma Bennett, a full-time mum, 29, said: "It is going to affect our privacy. We can clearly see inside their bedrooms and kitchens - and they are going to see through ours."
Maria Atkinson, who has lived in the area for nine years, 36, added: "I feel like the privacy is a bit gone. I would also that I am concerned about the infrastructure."
Dominique Pain, who has been in the area for three years, said: "Parking is absolutely fine around here. I feel like Nottingham all around is really expensive anyway - and that there should be more affordable housing."
The 30-year-old added: "[Top Valley] is the same like anywhere else in Nottingham. We never had any issues here.
"There is always police around here and Bestwood. If something happens, there is a quick response."
Alison Brown, Director of Property Services at Nottingham City Council, said: “It’s important that these works are restarting to create more affordable homes for local people on the council house waiting list.
“These homes are well-designed and energy efficient – places where people will be proud to live. I look forward to seeing the transformation from an unused site into new homes for local people and families”.
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