A COUPLE whose home backs on to a former traffic depot have called for its owner to shape up after spotting “rats the size of cats” coming from the site.
Nicky and Neil Alderson, from Bowes, have spent the past 15 years living next to the former Department of Transport building near the entrance to the village from Barnard Castle.
Mr Alderson grew up in the house and Mrs Alderson can remember the building being well maintained during its working life.
But overgrown brambles have led the couple to brand the building an “eyesore” and Mrs Alderson says she had seen “rats the size of cats” coming from the site.
She said: “We had pest control out and he said it’s most likely coming from over there because it’s a quiet place where they can nest.
“He has said there is no way rats could live there as there is no food source but they managed alright in our loft – plus the brambles give them the food.
“Some of them are huge – I’ve never seen any so big.
“I bet if he lived here he wouldn’t want to live next door to it – it’s an eyesore.”
The depot’s owner is James Harker, of Southampton, who has made moves to develop the land with housing.
A bid for 14 homes on the site was recommended for refusal in 2015 by Durham County Council and later withdrawn.
However, a separate plan for nine homes was put forward in January last year and is still awaiting a decision from county planners.
Mrs Alderson, 41, objected to the homes when the original plans were lodged alongside a number of her neighbours but said she
wasn’t against development on the site in itself.
She added: “It’s basically this building which is the problem – it just looks awful coming into the village.”
The mother of two, who works at Bowes pre-school, said rodents were a common sight in the summer months.
She added: “We see them all the time, more so in better weather.
“The pest controller said you wouldn’t normally see them during the day unless there are a lot of them.”
When the couple first moved in together, staff from the Department of Transport would ensure the bushes were cut back and well maintained.
But since then, Mr Alderson has had to chop them back himself. Mrs Alderson also wanted to know why progress with the latest plans was taking so long – given she was given six months to start works in her back yard.
“I understand it would be a bit more difficult with archaeological digs so it would take a bit longer but three or four years is too long,” she added.
When it came the rats, Mr Harker said the building was “inert” and there was nothing in the building they could survive on.
He said: “It has no food of any sort that a that a rat would be able to consume – whereas nearby there are sources including bins. There is nothing in the building whatsoever – I go into the building quite regularly and I’ve never seen a rat.”
Mr Harker said he’d spent about £50,000 on the site to date on specialist surveys and fees adding that a lot of work was required for a “complex site” such as this one.
He said work starting was dependent on finding a builder for the site if planning permission was approved.
Stuart Timmiss head of planning and assets at Durham County Council, said: “The owner has a responsibility to look after the site and deal with issues, including any rat infestation and we will are contacting the owner to improve the conditions which are being reported now.
“Environmental health officers will also visit the site to assess the situation and gather information as to the extent of any infestation.
“The planning application process for this site is at an advanced stage and it is hoped this will be fully resolved over the next month.
“We very much hope this resolution will act as a catalyst for much welcomed improvement to this site.”
