Contractors working to complete a house on the hill in Helsby are causing chaos for walkers in Harmers Wood and Hill Road North homeowners

Feb 18 2010 by Paul Mannion, Chester Chronicle

Contractors working to complete a house on the hill in Helsby are causing chaos for walkers in Harmers Wood and Hill Road North homeowners

WORKERS rushing to complete an underground family home in Helsby are causing chaos, claim residents and walkers.

More than 40 vehicles are blocking the narrow country lane and destroying grass verges, they say.

Contractors building Widnes Vikings rugby club chairman and haulage company tycoon Steve O’Connor’s multi-million pound home have been parking up Hill Road North angering homeowners and users of nearby Harmers Wood.

Audrey Davies, of the Friends of Harmers Wood Trust, said: “It’s been going on for about seven weeks and there’s been more than 40 cars up here each day.

“That side of the hill was a real beauty spot but they have decimated the whole area.

“It’s absolutely appalling. We published a leaflet in summer with a walk from our side of the hill to Alvanley. People couldn’t do it now even if they wanted to.”

Angry residents say they have had workers parking across their drive ways, destroying the verges and the road surface, despite the developers putting on a bus service from the Horse and Jockey car park to transport workers to the underground structure.

“It’s horrendous and such a shame.

“I have written to Mr O’Connor and he replied saying he was very sorry and that he would pass it on and said something would be done.

“I spoke to the site manager and we’ve had the police up there three of four times.

“I drive up to Harmers Wood three times a day to take my dogs for a walk and keep an eye out for any sorts of problems, at the moment I can’t get to it, each day eight or nine cars have been parking in the car park.”

Following a complaint to Cheshire West and Chester council, spokesperson Shirley Wingfield said: “The verges are going to be reinstated and the road will be swept once a week, that is being undertaken by the developer following a council request.

“Any damage caused by the construction vehicles will be put right by the developer.”

Code named Project Ijsberg, the building will incorporate a one and half meter-deep earth-covered roof for natural insulation, a light tower designed to provide natural light to every room and is designed to keep a constant temperature.

Workers began digging the foundations for the project in early 2009 and the family hoped to move in to the home in January 2010.

Innovative features include windows that create no glare, a light tower which provides natural light to every room and a specially designed chimney system.

The Chronicle attempted to contact Mr O’Connor yesterday afternoon without success.