A MAN claims that water from a neighbouring block of flats has been flooding his garden and damaging the fabric of his historic house for nearly 20 years.

Peter Bannon, lives in a grade II listed house in London Road, with his wife Pauline and claims they have had problems with water running from the roof and car park of a block of flats at the back of their house, and even bubbling up through the lawn, for nearly 20 years.

The owner of the land and the two blocks of flats next door, Christopher Ham, has been ordered to sort out the problem by Worcester City Council, at least twice, but it remains unresolved.

Mr Bannon, 69, said: “We first saw the water bubbling up through the lawn in 2002. I dig up the garden and put in drainage, because the water was just coming into the garden and had nowhere else to go.

“But we still get water running down from the car park when it rains.”

The back of the house, which dates from the mid-nineteenth century, is showing signs of water damage with plaster and brickwork crumbling.

Mr Bannon said: “It’s frustrating because Worcester City Council issued notices to Mr Ham in 2007 and then again in 2008.

“He agreed to do the work at the second notice but nothing was done, so we had to go back to the council. I’ve also been in constant communication with Mr Ham’s agent.

“There’s another notice now, but we’ve had to put up with another 10 years of the problem.”

The land on which two blocks, Nyali and Diani house, stands is owned by Mr Ham who lives in Shropshire.

His agent at Birmingham property management Bright Willis declined to comment.

A spokesman for Worcester City council said: “There is an ongoing enforcement investigation and therefore it would not be appropriate for the council to comment on this matter at this stage.” The latest notice was served on Mr Ham on March 29 2018, and gave him 120 days to comply.