RESIDENTS living next to a "monstrous" demolition site say their kids are breaking out in rashes and their window sills are coated in black.
The huge Shaw Distribution industrial site in Oldham near Manchester is being razed to make way for 100 new homes.
But families near the site are fuming about noise from 7.45 every day, dust everywhere and baffling health problems.
Mum Vicky Barker, 34, said her eight-year-old son Joshua has suffered rashes, itches and bruising, which she claims were brought on by the dust.
Vicky said: "It has been horrendous and it started about a year ago.
"We noticed this black dust – you could see it black on the windowsills.
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"The noise and vibration from the demolition has led to cracking in our bedroom and the hallway.
"I get that they have a job to do, but it has harmed my family’s health."
She added: "I took Joshua to the doctor with this rash on his arms. The rash spread all over his chest, all over his back.
"We were washing the bedding and hanging it outside – of course we now know that must have been getting covered in the dust.
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"I feel guilty now for doing that as it was making it worse.
"I started scratching and it was so bad I got bruising. It was terrifying – we had no idea what it was."
Vicky claimed that her house is now covered in "black sludge" from the demolition site.
She said: "Our windows were literally filthy inside half an hour of being cleaned.
"We needed them doing every day. I’ve given up cleaning the car now- the black sludge gets everywhere.
"At one point we were buying Joshua and his big brother Noah more school uniforms as they needed washing all he time.
Vicky added: "Joshua at the peak of all this was unable to wear clothes – it was that bad the rash and the itch.
"He couldn’t even wear pyjamas at night. We have no idea what was in that dust.
"Surely they owe a duty of care to the residents around this demolition site?"
DONE AND DUSTED
A 78-year-old pensioner living nearby said: "We have a red dust everywhere these days.
"My eyes are inflamed and painful, my 28-year-old granddaughter suffered the same."
Her daughter said: "I get up for work at 5am and it’s happened to me.
"One day I couldn’t see as I was coming up the hill and walking up the path."
Neighbour Luke Shaw, 27, said: "I’ve lived here two years and for most of that it feels like the dust has been around. It’s all over the cars.
"I clean my black Golf every week and it costs me £20. It's annoying to have to spend that every week."
Margaret Hoyle, 77, said: "It’s been a nightmare. They start banging around 7.45am every day.
My son is a tiler and he’s pointed out the cracking to the coving in my bathroom and tells me he can hear the tiles in my kitchen drumming.
"It has been horrendous – my chair used to shake as I was sat there watching the TV.
"When it was a windy day that dust was blowing all over the place.
The pensioner added: "These were 100-year-old mills – what was in that dust?
"They could have had all sorts like asbestos. My back garden was covered with it all the time.
"I felt really sad when the mills were demolished – why didn’t they convert them to apartments?
"I’ve been here 42 years and those mills were a feature of the area."
LEAF IT OUT
Frank Cresswell, 72, said: "I have lived here for 52 years and this autumn all the dust has led to lots and lots of leaves falling into our property.
"They are weighed down with the dust and not blowing away – I’ve never seen anything like it.
"I clean my windows a couple of times every month and they are filthy with the dust."
Developer Bellway Homes said: "The demolition of the mills at Shaw Distribution was undertaken by the previous site owners.
"Bellway was not involved in that element of the construction works.
"Bellway has since taken ownership of the site.
"As a responsible housebuilder, Bellway takes the health and safety of all site staff and residents living nearby extremely seriously.
"Groundworks here have only just commenced – any concerns about these should be raised directly with the site team so they can be addressed accordingly."
Metropolitan Demolition said it had "done everything reasonably practical to reduce the impact of the demolition on the local population".
A spokesperson added that the site was now the responsibility of Clive Hurt Plant.
I clean my windows a couple of times every month and they are filthy with the dust
Hurt Plant said: "This type of issue is of upmost importance to us and something that we manage stringently across all our sites.
"However, on this occasion we have only just obtained possession of the site.
"We believe the issue stems from the demolition work prior to our and our Client’s, possession of the site.
"The demolition works were undertaken on the 3 mills by the Contractor of the previous owner prior to Bellway purchasing the site last month.
"Bellway have recently started on site with the ground remediation works.
"To date we have only had minor complaints regarding mud on the road and nothing further.
"Any of our operations that could generate dust will, as always, be controlled with the appropriate dust suppression systems.
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"They have been addressed within the statutory Risk Assessments and Method Statements we have provided to our Client.
"In conjunction with our Client, we are available to meet any concerned local parties on site to assure them of our ongoing commitment to health, safety, and welfare."
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