PRESSURE is on North East Lincolnshire Council to bring to account those behind the demolition of a £500,000 Humberston Avenue house.
Residents say they are "disturbed" by the "ruthless demolition" of number 54 after it was sold two weeks previously by owners of 16 years, Peter and Jennifer Watts, who say they were unaware of the buyer's intentions.
Ross Hewson, son of landowner Stuart Hewson – who wants to build 400 homes on land behind the site where the three-storey property stood – told the Grimsby Telegraph they were behind the demolition at a public consultation on the plans.
Now residents – who oppose the development – are calling on NELC to take "serious action" and avoid a "precedent" being set.
Save Our Fields campaigner Nikki Hale said: "We were extremely disturbed by the manner in which this has been carried out.
"There seems to have been a disregard for due process and all that appears to have been done is that they have alienated themselves from the local community. The council must act and send out the right message."
NELC has confirmed the demolition – which destroyed an ash tree subject to a Tree Preservation Order – took place without appropriate permission and an investigation has been launched. The site owners could be forced to rebuild the four-bedroom house and replant the ash tree. They could also be heavily fined.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, added: "We want the strongest possible action taken."
Up to half of the 64-acre housing site behind the demolished property is planned to be green space and 15-acres of land will be used by Get Hooked on Positive Activities (GHPA) to help disabled youngsters and school children, run by managing director Mark Fenty.
At the time of going to press, the Hewsons were unavailable for comment.
