MISERY for pedestrians and drivers around the York Street area of Stourport looks set to continue due to a dispute over a wall.

Stourport Civic Society claims excavation work for new flats and houses has undermined the remains of the garden wall around York House, making it unsafe.

Barriers have been put up by the Wyre Forest Highways Partnership to keep people away.

Town mayor Michael Grinnall has hit out at the barriers which he says have narrowed the width of the road, causing traffic chaos and inconveniencing pedestrians.

But developer Gary Key insists the wall, which extends 20 feet below ground and five feet above, has been in its present condition for "the last 100-odd years" and is adamant it is outside the site being built on by his firm, Key Developments.

Permission was given for the scheme, which involves 18 two-bedroom flats and seven three-bedroom town houses being built on the former walled garden and derelict coal wharf, by Wyre Forest District Council in June last year.

Mr Key said work was due to be finished in January - but the barriers have been in place for more than a year.

Civic society chairman Pauline Annis said: "I warned the council about the dangers of having the development too close to the wall. Now huge cracks have appeared in the pavement."

Highways Partnership manager Stuart Reynolds said: "The developer has weakened the wall and has got to take some remedial action by carrying out reconstruction work.

"The wall is in serious danger of collapsing and we have put the barriers up to keep people away from it."

Mr Key denied the problems with the wall were a result of his development.

He said: "Until someone can prove to me that I own the wall there will be no work done on it."