A COUNCIL and housing developer are under fire from fed-up residents over the closure of a road for more than a year.

They have accused Blackburn with Darwen Council and Story Homes of dragging their feet over work to Gib Lane.

Livesey with Pleasington Tory councillor Derek Hardman said he had been contacted by many ‘fed up and angry’ residents who live on or near the road over its closure from Cockridge Wood to Broken Stone Road since August last year.

He accused the council and Story Homes of dragging their feet over highways and drainage work which will now keep Gib Lane sealed off until at least the end of October.

The road gives access to three major housing developments, Wainhomes North-West's Bluebell Walk development, the Wayne Hemingway-designed Green Hills Blackburn and the 205-property The Sycamores by Story Homes.

The closure is the result of works connected to the latter causing long detours for local residents.

Council regeneration boss Cllr Phil Riley said: “We are disappointed and apologise for the resulting inconvenience.

“The delay has been caused by fibreoptic cabling and the slow progress of Story Homes in building a stone boundary wall. This is a largely out of our hands.”

Cllr Hardman said: “I have been contacted by lots of angry and fed up residents. This has gone on far too long. The council has failed to manage this properly.”

Gib Lane resident Keith Murray said: “We are fed up with the dirt, noise and inconvenience.”

David O’Reilly, Story Homes planning director, said: “Essential infrastructure works at Gib Lane are being undertaken by Blackburn with Darwen Council. Weather dependent, these works are anticipated to take ten weeks. We appreciate how frustrating major works can be and apologise for disruption.”