NEIGHBOURS fed up with work on a nearby housing development have now been told they can’t park outside their own homes – by the developer.

People living opposite the Kier Homes site in Pole Lane, Darwen received a letter from site manager of Energetics, the company tasked with installing major utility services.

The letter stated that work lasting two weeks would be starting on the road on Monday and while it was being carried out two-way traffic lights would be put in place.

The letter, signed by site manager, Andy Birkbeck, said: “To complete the necessary works on the new build site, half of the road opposite your properties will be out of use so we ask could you please find alternative parking during this time?”

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said that it was ridiculous they had been asked to move their vehicles, as they had nowhere else to park.

She said: “Where are we supposed to park our cars while this work is going on? We don’t have driveways, we have to park on the road as we have no other choice. There’s nowhere else to park. If we were to find alternative parking it could leave us with about a kilometre to walk to get to our front doors. This would cause inconvenience when going to work, shopping, everything.”

At the end of January, residents on Pole Lane spoke of their indignation over having to park on a pub car park due to lorries bringing rocks and earth from the site onto the road, damaging parked cars.

And one resident said the new request to find alternative parking was ‘out of the question.’

Liberal Democrat councillor for Darwen’s Sudell Ward, Cllr Paul Browne said: “I have been against this development from the word go. I think this site will cause more problems than any other site in Darwen and I can’t believe that Mr Birkbeck has asked this of the residents. Where are they supposed to park? None of them have drives.”

Executive member for regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Cllr Phil Riley, said there was a need for major key utilities to be brought to the site which was going to involve digging that will take the highway out of use.

Mr Riley said: “Kier Homes have a permit to obstruct the highway to carry out the necessary work. The sensible thing for the residents to do if they have concerns about parking would be to contact Mr Birkbeck, which is what he suggested in the letter he sent out last week.”

Darwen West Labour councillor, Dave Smith, said: “If any residents have concerns about this parking matter I would suggest they contact their local councillor or the planning department directly as they should, as a matter of protocol, be provided with an alternative place to park.”

Mr Birkbeck was contacted but refused to comment.