One morning, two weeks ago, we woke up to the most horrendous grinding and banging and the vibration round the whole house was unbearable - even the pictures on the walls were vibrating!
With a little communication I could have arranged for other facilities for my husband, but no!
Our lovely neighbours, desiring to update their property (and I do not begrudge them!) decided to have their driveway re-constructed, which they left to the contractors whilst they merilly just skipped away off on holiday for a week (a luxury I would have loved to have done too!), totally without any word to their neighbours of what was about to take place!
Eight hours a day solid of grinding and thumping whilst the concrete was lifted. Alleviated by 5pm on the clock! 8am and it was on again!
I talked to the construction crew, who had little sympathy and informed me only that my driveway would needed doing soon! <--the logic of which has me confused! (I only rent this house for a start!)
The contractors then started to park their lorries as close to the edge of our driveway confines as possible. Sand was dumped at the end of our driveway. Probably to incite - but didn't! I asked if they could move up slightly to allow me to turn right out of my driveway only to be told they were legally taxed and on a public road! They are still doing it!
(I have since been told by the planning authorites that a driveway does not need planning permission, therefore does not need neighbours notified! WHAT?????
)I am HORRIFIED by this.
If a family has a member with a mental disability surely this should be demanded! I dread to think if my husband had been autistic and following a set REGIME - this would have sent him over the edge! As it is.. we were unable to make emergency care provision until this week (it's still going on and I am at the end of my tether!)...and only because I had rung Social Work in tears of frustration!
Surely, the government, whilst relaxing planning applications HAS to take into consideration that notification to surrounding neighbours in any case where excessive noise or disruption is going to take place - should be MANDATORY!?
And, another proposal whilst they are at it....
If I have to use respite vouchers for my husband to take up emergency facilities due to such a case, shouldn't the government take the fee from the neighbour, rather than taking away my respite only to be left in a state where there is no respite at all, plus having to stay at home and face that 8 hours a day! Why is my 'respite' being taken off me for someone else's disruption?
Or am I right in thinking that this is an uncaring, unfeeling government we have bought ourselves into!
By the way - it still goes on - the lorries are outside the gate and the noise has now been videoed and recorded and photos taken.
The sad thing is - I have nothing against my neighbours that a little communication wouldn't have cured! Any complaining I have done, is likely to have soured that relationship now!
Government legislation HAS to take disabled families into consideration whilst loosening planning restrictions. If not, then we need to vote them OUT at the next election and tell them how we feel!
