A FORMER city councillor has spent £400 on plants to maintain his privacy because of a new housing development he feels is being built too close to his garden.

Keith Burton, who has lived in Spetchley Road for more than 40 years, lives next to the new 120-home Weogoran Park development and has accused developer St Modwen of ignoring planning permission by building too close to his property.

Mr Burton said St Modwen ignored the rule meaning the new homes should be built at least ten metres away from his garden.

He said: “I am just at a loss. They will not accept that there is anything wrong and nobody is prepared to do anything about it.

“It might be a small thing for them but is a big deal to me and there doesn’t seem to be a lot that I can do.

“They all know they have dropped a big one with this but they aren’t going to do anything about it.”

Worcester City Council and developer St Modwen both said the development is being built within the remit of the planning permission.

Mr Burton, who spends a lot of time and effort tending to his garden, said he has already spent hundreds of pounds on plants and shrubbery to give him some privacy.

A spokesman for St Modwen Homes said: “We are aware of the concerns raised by a neighbouring property to our Weogoran Park development.

“The proximity of our residential development to all surrounding boundaries was closely reviewed with Worcester City Council during the scheme’s design stage, and has been fully adhered to during construction.

“A series of checks has been carried out to ensure that the as-built site measurements are within the agreed boundary limits.”

A spokesman for Worcester City Council said: “A planning enforcement investigation was carried out in August in response to Mr Burton’s complaint.

“Following this, the city council is taking the view that St Modwen are operating within the terms of their planning permission.”