THE residents of Wilstock village, near Bridgwater, are rejoicing after a building compound that was supposed to be moved from the centre of the housing estate three years ago is finally being shifted.

Despite frequent promises over the years from Bloor Homes, the developers behind the village, that it would be moved, workers only began to dismantle the site on October 6.

Large and blatant, the compound was situated at a central location between the houses on Barberry Drive and Lavender Walk and was full of construction equipment and vehicles, as well as unused playground apparatus.

Resident Ken Brown, who lives opposite the site, bought his house from Bloor in December 2011 under the illusion that the compound would be gone by the end of the following year.

Come November 2012, John Lusty, leader of Bloor Homes, told residents that it would be moved by spring 2013 because the ground had been too wet thus far, evidenced by minutes written down in a meeting.

In February 2013, Ken approached the site manager whilst he was working at the compound, who informed him it would be there for atleast another 18 months.

John Gibbons, construction manager, then told Ken, along with other residents, at a meeting in Ken's home that the site would be clear by February 2014.

A group of residents sought legal advice, where they were told that a verbal contract is legally binding.

Despite having strong grounds for a case, the people of Wilstock village could not afford to pay the court fees against Bloor Homes.

In a printed letter addressed directly to Ken, Bloor stated that the compound would definitely be removed by August 2015 and when it wasn't, an email response dated August 10, John Gibbons confirmed it would be relocated by October.

"We were sold a dream and were living a nightmare," said Ken Brown.

"It's an absolute pack of lies- if only you knew what rubbish Bloor have told us.

"It sickens me.

"If I knew when I bought my house back in 2011 that this compound would still be here four years later I would never have gone through with it."

As well as the actual existence of the compound, residents were unhappy with the red dust that blew all over the village, caused by the construction at the site.

"You couldn't hang your washing out because it got covered in dust from the compound whenever the wind blows," said one resident who lives on Barberry Drive, next to the compound.

Bloor Homes confirmed on September 10 that they would stick to their final word and the compound would be moved by the end October.

A spokesman for Bloor Homes said: "We had planned to move the compound from its current position much earlier, but this was delayed when an agreement to sell part of the land to another developer fell through.

"As a result of this we have continued to build out the remainder of phase 2C ourselves.

"During this time we have made every effort to minimise the impact of the compound on neighbouring residents."