Locals horrified as 20ft concrete barrier ‘like the Berlin Wall’ surrounds homes – leaving them worth HALF their price
FURIOUS residents have branded a 20ft barrier on a housing estate as a “monstrous Berlin Wall” and are demanding it be pulled down.
Jenny Lindop claims the concrete wall surrounding the new build properties in Knutton, Staffordshire, should be demolished.
Housewife Jenny, 53, who has lived in the area for 14 years, blasted the massive wall outside her home.
She told The Sun: “It looks just like the Berlin Wall and the sooner it comes down the better. It’s horrible and why they put it up in the first place beats me.
“It’s noisy, dusty and it’s grotesque. We want it pulled down but don’t think there’s a chance of that.”
Multiple residents have claimed they were not aware the wall was going to be erected.
Other homeowners have complained of the constant noise, rats in their gardens, dust killing off their plants and experiencing breathing difficulties.
Some won’t let their children and dogs go in the garden and fear their properties have been knocked down in value by half.
The wall, which is set to be raised even higher, impacts about 20 homes on a council estate in Lower Milhouse, where half of the residents have privately brought their properties.
Retired coal miner Stephen Dunn, 81, whose home backs right onto the wall said: “It’s not a wall, it’s a barrier cabs it’s terrible.
“We’ve complained to the council and they sat they’re investigating.
“We didn’t know anything about it until a builder came round about eight weeks ago and started cutting out hedges without permission.
“I asked him what he was doing and he started laughing and said he was building a 25 feet wall. In said ‘You are joking’ and he said no. I was amazed.
“I’m staring at 11 panels behind me garden which are 20 feet high now and going up another two to five feet.
“I used to look over the valley at open green land and now we have a large ugly wall and diggers. The airborne dust is making me giddy and the windows and car are constantly covered with dust. It’s appalling.”
His wife Christine, 74, added: “Every day from 7.30am to 5pm it’s bang, bang, bang and all the dust has killed off my lovely rose bushes.
“We’ve been fighting it but I think we’ve lost our battle. My house will be worth only half it’s value now and who would want to buy it anyway?
“I want the builders to pull down all those concrete slabs but they won’t.
"All the neighbours are blowing their tops and I can’t let my dog and grandchildren in the back garden for all the noise and dust. Everything’s thick with dust and the wall is an eyesore.”
'DRUGS DEN'
The couple’s son Paul, 56, said: “The developers have offered us £200 to plant some conifers but you would need at least £2,500 to but enough to cover it.
“The council is now saying it is our responsibility to make sure no vandals spray graffiti on it or use it as a drugs den.
"It’s not even our wall and we didn’t want it there in the first place. We’ve got the worst of it here.”
Next door neighbour Andrew Everill, 53, said: “ It is shocking. The developers say they’ll come round to look at the wall from our gardens but they haven’t bothered.
"They only care about squeezing as many house as possible onto the land behind with the gardens backing right up to ours.
“I can’t think of any word to describe it other than a monstrosity. It is like a prison.
“If our estate had been totally private owned the council would have been more sympathetic. But they know that council tenants can’t really complain because they’re grateful to have a place to live.”
I couldn’t believe the size of the wall. It looks like something out of The Hunger Games.
Terri-Anne Hyde
Andrew and receptionist wife Sharon, 55, have brought their home years.
He said his wife is “fuming” and has taken the council and developers to task over it.
Neighbour and new mum Terri-Anne Hyde told how she feels that the wall looks like seomthing out of the Hunger Games.
The mum of three, 27, added: “The rats are a nightmare and I can’t let my children play in their own garden.
“I couldn’t believe the size of the wall. It looks like something out of The Hunger Games.
"We only moved here last year but we are worried about it being an eyesore and the lack of privacy when the new houses are built.”
Tilia Homes, formerly known as Kier Living, secured planning permission for more than 270 homes on land behind the Dunn’s and Everill’s home in 2018.
The company has defended the wall, insisting it was part of the planning application.
A spokesman said: "The retaining wall along the rear of Western Close has been built in accordance with the planning permission granted by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council in 2018, and to an approved design.
"The details of this were publicly available at the time.
"We have been in contact with the resident in recent weeks and have offered a contribution towards tree planting to help conceal the wall from her garden.
Read More on The US Sun
"We’ve had further conversations with the homeowner this week and have discussed a solution that is suitable for both parties.”
The Paddocks will consist of 75 two-bedroom, 136 three-bedroom, and 65 four-bedroom houses, all for sale on the open market.