BUILDERS working on the multi-million pound redevelopment of Sibly Hall have been ordered to down tools while claims of planning breaches are investigated.

Borough planning bosses have slapped a stop notice on developer Persimmon Homes after neighbours complained of builders blocking up streets, making constant noise and even flooding a garden.

Yesterday (Wednesday) the site, off Redhatch Road in Earley, lay empty and silent – workers have been ordered to remove all construction equipment and will not be allowed to return until at least July 4. Cutbush councillor Pauline Jorgensen told The Chronicle: “There are a whole series of conditions that they haven’t met and it is serious stuff. I have had a series of complaints from residents, some of which have been resolved. It started off that all the workmen were parking on the road and blocking it off, and as a result of that, the developers increased the size of the car park.

“They’ve also managed to flood somebody’s garden and I’d just like to see them acting in a more neighbourly manner according to the conditions on the planning application.

“Hopefully it’ll pull them up sharp and get them to behave.”

Cllr Jorgensen claimed breaches include developers failing to provide details of landscaping proposals, drainage schemes and an affordable housing strategy. The 89-home estate backs on to the historic Redhatch Copse, which is still owned by Reading University, and the plans were hotly fought by neighbours before being controversially approved in 2012.

Wokingham Borough Council planning boss, Cllr John Kaiser, said officers are set to meet representatives from Persimmon for crunch talks over the crisis.

He added: “We’ve had concerns about the development of Sibly Hall for some time and that’s been brought to our attention not only by residents but also our officers. We served this notice because we’re not confident they are meeting all the conditions of their planning application and there are concerns about the location of some of the buildings.

“We’re prepared to take the necessary action to protect residents.”

Rob Phelps, Persimmon Homes Thames Valley technical director, said: “A stop notice has been issued to allow some matters that have been raised to be resolved. We have complied fully with the stop notice and will now be working with the local authority to resolve these matters, allowing the site to re-commence at the earliest opportunity.”