BUILDERS working on student accommodation in Coventry city centre at midnight have sparked furious complaints from neighbours.
Neighbours in Whitefriars Street, where a massive accommodation block is being constructed, are unable to sleep as developer Watkin Jones has builders working late at night.
It is believed complaints to Coventry City Council have triggered a probe by planning enforcement officials.
Local resident and owner of nearby second-hand bookshop Gosford Books, Rob Gill, said council officers told the developer to stop late night construction, but work has continued.
Some nights in August, work has continued to 1am, he said.
“Since this started ten days ago, they’ve been getting a gang of subcontractors to work until after midnight,” said Mr Gill.
“They are hammering six-inch rail windows from external platforms which are going up the outside of the building.
“We have hammering sporadically, with the beeping warning noises, with guys shouting to one another.
“Environmental protection were called by residents last week, they witnessed it as a nuisance last Monday. They served a notice on the team to stop the work and they have just ignored that, so it has been passed over now to planning enforcement.
“This is apparently a favoured project from the council’s perspective and I wonder if they haven’t turned a blind eye to this – and it sets a precedent for any developer to have carte blanche to work around midnight.
“Recently they have been working 15 storeys high – hammering window frames, and its possible the noise travels even further afield from that high up.
“We deserve to know what the council are doing about it.”
A Council spokesperson said: “An updated Construction Management Plan has been approved with working hours restrictions in place for the site on Whitefriars Street.
“Our Environmental Protection and Planning Enforcement Teams are working together with the site developers to ensure that the agreed working hours are not breached, and any disturbance to residents is minimised during the construction period.”
Watkin Jones was contacted for comment, it directed enquiries to reputation managers Buchanan who have not yet responded to the Observer.
