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A family of five are ‘living in hell’ after builders dumped a 30ft-high ‘mud mountain’ at the end of their garden, which they claim has coated their home in dirt and left them with breathing difficulties.
Sharon Allen, 45, and her husband Andrew, 48, who both work for the NHS, claim the family have been inhaling dust that is blown across from a building site next door for the past five months, in what they compared to being ‘sandblasted on a beach.’Â Â
Mulberry Property Developments Ltd began constructing a 70-home estate just yards away from the Allens’ property in Irchester, Northamptonshire, in June of this year. But the firm was slapped with a notice last month after the council ruled there was a ‘dust nuisance’ coming from the site.
It came after the Allens’ 20-year-old son Joshua experienced severe asthma attacks in the summer, when they claim their four-bedroom home was covered in dirt blown from the mud pile.Â
The company said the piling up of rubble and soil was a temporary issue and vowed to remove it in due course, however the eyesore remains and continues to impact the Allens’ physical and mental health, the family allege.Â
It comes after Sharon was rushed to A&E last Saturday after suffering from breathing problems, before being prescribed steroids and an inhaler to manage her symptoms.  Â
Mulberry Homes said today it was working to remove the debris ‘while being mindful of the increased traffic’ in the area, while thanking residents for their ‘patience’. Â
Andrew, who works as a paramedic, said: ‘It’s been a living hell. Since June the mud pile just got bigger and bigger.
Sharon Allen, 45, and her husband Andrew, 48, who both work for the NHS, claim the family (pictured together) have been inhaling dust that is blown across from the building site next door for the past five months, in what they compared to being ‘sandblasted on a beach’Â
The company said the piling up of rubble and mud (pictured) was a temporary issue and vowed to remove it in due course, however the eyesore remains and continues to impact the Allens’ physical and mental health, the family allege
The huge building site sits right behind the property of the Allen family in Irchester, NorthamptonshireÂ
Mulberry Property Developments Ltd began constructing a 70-home estate just yards away from the Allens’ property in Irchester, Northamptonshire, in June of this year. But the firm was slapped with a notice last month after the council ruled there was a ‘dust nuisance’ coming from the site. (Mud pile seen in right of picture backing onto the Allen home)
The view of the offending mud pile from the back of the Allen property in Irchester, NorthamptonshireÂ
The family are demanding urgent action from Mulberry Property Developments Ltd who are building the new estate (Pictured: Soil pile visible from Allen family home)Â
‘The prevailing wind blows the dust into our property 20 per cent of the time. In July my son, who suffers from asthma, had a really bad attack.
‘He went back to university early in August to escape the dust. You can feel it in your eyes and in your mouth. It’s like being sandblasted on a beach.
‘When my wife was rushed into hospital, the doctor said it was most likely a response to the dust. She was put on a high dose of steroids and a Ventolin inhaler.’
Andrew said his wife is a lot better now but that he and his family are still unable to go into the garden. And he says the issue is creating added knock-on costs. Â
He explained: ‘We can’t hang out the washing. My dog has to have extra grooming because of the dust. The car’s paintwork has been damaged.’
The family are demanding urgent action from Mulberry Property Developments Ltd who are building the new estate.
Andrew, who has three children, added: ‘We’re not the only ones affected by the dust. On this street there are five other houses, and they all suffer the same.
‘There is also a chap with COPD, a lung condition which causes breathing difficulties, living nearby and he has been really affected. We have been told to be patient by the developers, but nothing has changed.
‘It has been really frustrating and depressing to see the dusty piles all the time. When my wife, who is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, works from home, she has no escape.
Dust from the mud pile is clearly visible in a photo taken from inside a window on the Allen propertyÂ
Allen family say this picture shows how dirt and dust from the site has accumulated on their door frames and windowsÂ
The Allen family’s car which they say has been covered in a layer of dust for months due to the building site next doorÂ
An aerial photo shows the extent of the mud pile which has been present on the site since June, according to the Allen familyÂ
A digger is seen working on the soil pile just yards from the family’s homeÂ
‘It is just continuous, and the pile is growing. There is no sign of it stopping. We have been exposed to the dust and reduced air quality 24 hours a day, seven days a week since early June with the only abatement on days of calm still weather.
‘It’s not just soil in the stockpile as debris from the multiple road excavations have been dumped there as well as some deep digging from across the site. We are unable to enjoy our outside space which is detrimental to our mental health.
‘On the days where the air quality is really bad, which is often, there is no reprieve in the house either, the atmosphere is heavy and thick, you can taste the dust in the air.’
Chris Russell, construction director at Mulberry Homes, said: ‘We are working with the local planning and environmental health teams to mitigate the dust on site to best practice, and are removing the spoil heap whilst being mindful of increased traffic.
‘We understand residents’ concerns and remain grateful to them and the wider community for their patience.’
MailOnline had contacted Mulberry Homes Ltd for further comment. Â
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