By Linzi Watson

Last updated 12:17, Saturday, 22 March 2008

PLANNING officials in Carlisle have apologised to irate residents after they failed to inform them about a building development on their doorstep.

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United in anger: Coledale Mews residents Betty Hitchon, left, and Trish McGrath

Residents of 5 to 10 Coledale Mews off Newtown Road were left bemused when construction workers and machinery arrived to lay the foundations for a three-storey extension to Claridge House and Regent House in Bellgarth Square – which looks on to their houses.

After they raised concerns, city council officials mailed the residents a copy of the plans and a letter apologising for not sending them letters in the first place.

Planning permission was granted in August 2007 for the build which will extend the former nurses and doctors accommodation creating six new three-bedroom flats.

No objections were received.

Betty Hitchon, 82, of Coledale Mews, said: “We were not told about any of this. And you only have to look at the plans to see that were are the houses that will be most effected.

“This is stress I don’t need.

“My husband William is just out of hospital and he is very poorly, and I have Alzheimer’s.”

“I came here for peace and quiet and the noise has been terrible. It starts at 8am and I can hear the lorries coming and going and the cement mixer.”

She added: “We have got this apology now but it is not good enough.”

Ian Ballantyne, of Coledale Mews, has reported the city council to the planning ombudsman. He said: “All we are being told by the city council is sorry, but they say it has gone too far to stop it.

“If it was a member of the public who had not stuck to planning rules then we would be told to pull an extension down so why should this be any different?

“This is a democracy – and we have not been given our right to object because we were not told about this.

“It is not good enough.”

Trish McGrath, also of Coledale Mews, said she does not accept the apology letter and wants the work to stop.

She said: “There are five houses that face onto the gable end of this development and all five did not receive letters.

“We are the most effected and would probably have objected.”

A spokeswoman from Carlisle City Council said: “A formal apology has been sent to the five households who were not consulted directly on the planning application.

“This stressed that there was no intention to deliberately miss these residents out of the planning process and expressed deep regret.

The spokeswoman added: “The planners also answered specific queries raised by the residents regarding the application."

LWatson@cngroup.co.uk