RESIDENTS living in homes backing on to a development site fear their properties are in danger of flooding.

Householders near a construction site in Stokesley say work on building 226 properties on a former green field behind their homes has caused them months of anxiety.

The development, on the northern edge of the town near Tanton Road and Woodlands Walk, was granted approval by the Planning Inspectorate in June 2015, following a planning inquiry.

Construction began late last year and since then residents have raised complaints with the developer, Kier, about what they say is damage caused to the surrounding roads, noise and issues including concerns about flooding.

One resident, Dave Lamb said: “The need to build the site higher is causing all the problems. There is a genuine flood risk to our properties.”

Kier has been holding regular “construction clinics” for residents to keep them updated and allow them to raise issues. The last surgery organised by Kier took place in Stokesley Town Hall on February 8.

Earlier this month Richmond MP Rishi Sunak visited residents living near the site, before listening to their concerns at a meeting of about 40 householders.

At the meeting they explained how they feared a greater flood risk from the new homes and that a drainage ditch between their homes and the development had not been cleared.

Mr Sunak said is due to meet with Kier on Friday.

The company was unable to provide a statement to The Northern Echo by the time it went to press, but Kier has previously said it was building in accordance with planning permission. In a recent leaflet sent to householders, the company stated it was continuing with sound and vibration monitoring and had been working with the Environment Agency to clean out all the gutters and streams.

It was also working with council engineers and environmental health officials, who had been on site to check building levels, gutters and streams.