Residents in one of London’s wealthiest enclaves are to be given a “basement hotline” to report on neighbours whose excavation works are blocking the street or causing unacceptable noise.
A total of 23 “hotspot” construction sites across Chelsea, mostly involving complex basement digs, will be monitored under a pilot scheme launched by Kensington and Chelsea council.
Those living close to the sites will be given a dedicated phone number and email connected to a team of council officers to report breaches of planning consent.
They will be able to send in pictures and video taken on their phones to back up their complaints. The local authority also pledged to adopt a “zero tolerance” approach to problems such as trucks causing congestion.
Basement excavation are hugely unpopular with residents because of the time they take to complete and the level of dust, noise and extra traffic they create.
This week, the Standard reported on complaints from neighbours to a basement extension in a West Brompton cul-de-sac where Iggy Pop once lived, saying they already felt “under siege” from several digs under the multi-million pound homes in The Boltons conservation area.
The council approved six basement extensions in the area in 2015. The pilot started this week and will continue to April 6.
Deputy leader of the council Cllr Will Pascall said: “Whilst we welcomes considerate contractors, we know our residents are becoming increasingly frustrated by construction sites that cause traffic congestion, noise pollution and other anti-social problems.
“Equally, we are aware that residents can be frustrated by the various council services they need to contact to report these matters.
“The Chelsea pilot is about streamlining the service into a one-stop-shop so residents can report these matters easily. By being locally based, the pilot team will be able to respond quickly.”
