OUTRAGED residents in Greenock's east end who have been forced to live beside an eyesore building site for THREE YEARS are demanding action from housing bosses.
The controversial Strone Farm housing development at Glenbrae Road has been beset with problems since work started in 2019 and it has been left untouched since contractors walked off site last September after going bust.
People in neighbouring streets have now hit out at the impact the unsightly deserted plot is having on their lives, angered by the mess and flooding to their gardens.
Councillor Colin Jackson has stepped in to try to resolve the situation and highlight the concerns of local people to housing provider Oak Tree.
Oak Tree bosses have promised they will complete the site and say they are working towards appointing a new contractor for the £1.3 million pound development.
Susan Clabby, aged 61, who lives in Gabriel Street, said: "We have been living with this for three years now. There has been nothing happening at that site for months now.
"But we get told nothing about it. It's a mess here and we have been left looking at this.
"We have had flooding since the site was left, but nothing is ever done about it. All they offered us were sandbags, that is no good if it doesn't fix the problem.
"We have all lived in the east end our whole lives, people living in Gabriel Street have been here for 30 or 40 years and this is how we are treated.
"We have a neighbour who has a wheelchair and can't get in and out of the place because of the state of the roads.
"It's a disgrace."
She was joined by neighbours Lee Stanton and his mum Cathy.
Lee, who cares for his mother, said: "It is something that we all want fixed. My mum doesn't keep well and we just want it sorted."
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Councillor Colin Jackson said: "It is having a real impact on local people and they need answers. You just have to go up and look at it, a building site lying unfinished, the mess of the roads.
"It is having a big impact on those living Gabriel Street but also Whinhill Crescent as well. People have to live here like this."
Oak Tree Housing was granted planning permission to build 15 two, three and four bedrooms at the former farmhouse site in Glenbrae Road in 2019 with Alex McKay Construction awarded the contract.
Oak Tree chief executive Nick Jardine moved to reassure residents that the site will be completed.
He said: "I am very sympathetic to the residents and we have been liaising with them.
"Everyone wants the site finished, ourselves, the hosuing regulator and residents. It is a very complicated situation.
"We are doing everything we can to get a new contractor in place, but it is taking time.
"We have security on site 24/7 and have done since the contractors went into liquidation.
"We have had to start a tendering process again and have had to bring in a development services consultant to get it done.
"That is now in place, we have completed the surveys and we are looking to appoint a new contractor but this will take time.
"There is no question that this will not be finished. The groundworks for all the houses are completed, the timber work is in place and five of the kits are up."
It is understood that the project is now expected to spiral hundreds of thousands of pounds over budget.
Mr Jardine said: "We have factored this in and we should be able to balance it within our budget, and there will be talks with Scottish Government about funding as well."
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