A DEVELOPMENT firm has been served a notice to repair unsightly hoardings after protests from residents.

More than 60 residents of The Willows in Colchester turned up to the meeting where Colchester Council served Harding Homes a Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The notice gives Harding Homes 28 days to repair the rundown, graffitied hoardings and clear the site.

Work began on the hoardings shortly after the notice was given.

But residents - who say the hoardings have been in place for 20 years - remained dissatisfied with the outcome.

They had previously campaigned for the removal of the hoardings entirely, with a petition securing 185 signatures from residents.

They have no issue with the site being used for housing but say it has been left to go to rack and ruin, becoming unsightly and a health hazard.

Many now want the land to return to a grassy area, which can be maintained by the residents, then, when a suitable planning application is put forward, the land can be built upon.

Some residents expressed concerns over the Hoardings Legislation Act 1970, which states that hoardings are only meant to be around a site that is under construction.

The issue is that nothing has been built upon the site during the 20 years of the hoardings going up, allowing the area to fall into a state of disrepair.

One concerned resident said: “This was not the outcome we wanted. We want the hoardings gone and the site returned to grass.

“We can't keep going round in circles like this.

"We want to maintain the area ourselves. I am not happy with this outcome at all.

“This eyesore is very detrimental to my house and affecting the value of my property.”

A second meeting with councillors Dale Keeble and Simon Cairns will take place this Friday, to further discuss the future of the Willows hoardings.

The Gazette approached Harding Homes for comment but representatives did had responded at the time of going to press.