Residents living beside the Plasdwr development in Cardiff say "whirlwinds" of dust from the construction site have left them unable to use their gardens or open their windows in the middle of one of Wales' hottest summers.
People in Pentrebane told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that they are in a constant battle to keep dust from coating their gardens, homes and cars.
Plasdwr is a large multi-developer housing project in north-west Cardiff that will deliver more than 5,000 houses close to Radyr, St Fagans and Pentrebane. The section outside Pentrebane is being built by UK housing giant Barratt Redrow.
Residents describe "dirt clouds"
Jacob Sparkes, 35, whose garden backs directly onto the construction site and whose windows face the development, said he has not been able to sit outside.
He said: "I haven't sat in the garden for the last two weeks because of the dust. If we were to go out [into my garden] now, you'd be able to see dirt clouds coming right at you and no one wants to be breathing that in."
He added that he now goes into the garden only to wash dust off his plants: "When it comes to my plants, I go out there every day pretty much to shower them off, to try and get the dust off. It just gets everywhere"
Because his windows face the site, he keeps them shut. He said: "It's a choice between being hot or getting dirt into your house and lungs."
Health concerns among residents
Jacob also worried about the health impact of breathing the dust. He said: "It is a worry because if you keep breathing it all in, it's bound to be doing some sort of damage. I'm not a doctor but dirt is not meant to be in your lungs."
Another resident, Paula, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), said the dust and heat are "not helping". She uses a breathing machine every night and said: "It's not very good and I know it's only going to get worse."
Paula said she can no longer use her garden because the dust is "incessant" and she fears it is only the start: "[The dust is] incessant and I know this is only just the start of it. When it comes right up against the fence, I try to think how bad it's going to be."
She also described the dust sweeping in like "whirlwinds".
Barratt Redrow response
A Barratt Redrow spokesperson said: "While we have not received any direct complaints from local residents regarding dust, we are working in accordance with the approved Construction and Environmental Management Plan. Following a visit to the site, the local authority was satisfied with the dust mitigation measures in place and did not require any further follow-up. We have a range of measures in place to minimise dust, including dampening working areas, using dust suppression techniques, deploying road sweepers and retaining as much existing vegetation on site as is safe and practical."
