DISGRUNTLED residents are to seek compensation after town hall bosses broke their own planning regulations to create a builders' yard on their doorstep.

Residents in Fountain Place and Top o'th' Fields in Whitefield say their property has been "blighted" by the eyesore and intend to report the council to the Ombudsman.

Contractors doing kitchen and bathroom refurbishments on behalf of the council on nearby Victoria Estate, set up the compound before Christmas. Tenants and homeowners in Fountain Place were informed on the morning the builders moved in, but private householders at Top o'th' Fields were not told.

The compound takes up more than half of a residents' car park and heavy goods vehicles deliver builders' materials and new fixtures and fittings several times a day. Retired police officer Terry Birtwistle said: "We have no other access to our property and when the wagons are parked up, not even an emergency vehicle can get through. It is just unacceptable for this area.

" I was told by a council employee that what they had done was illegal. The council think they can walk all over us and we won't complain, but I will be contacting the Ombudsman."

After enquiries by the Bury Times, the council has promised to move the compound by the end of April after finding alternative accommodation at a house on Victoria Estate.

Martin Hall, head of architect services said: "Planning permission is necessary but the idea was to have the compound there for a very short length of time and permission is not needed for a 'reasonable' period."