BUILDING work on a new housing development has shaken owners of an 18th Century row of cottages and other nearby residents.

Work has started on clearing the way for an estate of 221 houses and flats between Mill Lane and Timber Lane, off Hartlebury Road, Stourport, for Laing Homes.

The estate was given the go-ahead despite objections from 26 residents, the Civic Society, town council and the Ramblers' Association.

Now work has started and residents in Mill Road say the disturbance is worse than they imagined.

"It's an absolute nightmare," said Mrs Marvin Massey, of Old Mill Cottages. "When they first started, people couldn't believe it. They were just standing outside looking at the mess. There are cabins for the builders, huge piles of earth and a generator going 24 hours a day.

"Normally, it's very quiet here. Now we've got this for years while they're building."

The 61-year-old former carpet picker said she had lived in the 18th Century cottage for 25 years since it was part of a hamlet.

Now she fears the movement of the heavy lorries will cause damage to the ancient foundations.

"There are seven cottages here built in 1740 for the old mill that used to be by the stream," she said. "A lot of the people are elderly and they've lived here a long time. They don't want to have to put up with all this."

Work started this week on removing a bridge and a railway embankment and road diversions were in force. Work was expected to finish by the end of this week and Stuart Reynolds of the Highways Partnership said there had been no complaints from drivers about the delays. Two more bridges on Hartlebury Road are due to be removed in the next few weeks.

June Salter, who represents the area on Wyre Forest District Council, said she had been contacted by residents and would be talking to officers.

"I would like to help if I can, but I'm not sure there's a lot that can be done," she said.

The council's head of planning, Mike Parker, said the development had been planned since 1998 but people often didn't realise how much work was involved until the lorries started moving in. He said Mill Road was right in the middle of the development and was the only access for the equipment until a new road is completed.

"This is a major development," he said. "It's going to take three to four years and, inevitably, there will be disruption. We will be keeping an eye on the situation."