Row after mum claims daughter was scarred by lit cigarette thrown from window

The mother, who lives with her husband and three children, told councillors in Northampton that the family had endured a series of problems since work began to convert the factory next door.

She claimed broken glass had twice landed in their garden and alleged that adults at the building had watched her children through windows while they were outside.

She also said people had climbed through a window into the family's garden and that adults had attempted to speak to her children through open windows.

She told councillors: “And my eight-year-old daughter has a scar on her head after a lit cigarette was thrown from one of those windows and landed on her.”

The mother said the family had effectively lost three summers in their garden because of the problems.

The claims came as West Northamptonshire Council planning committee meeting met to hear new proposals for the building.

Known as The Factory, it had permission in place since September 2022 to be converted into 19 self-contained flats for supported living, with associated building works including various external alterations.

However, Syed by Syed Ltd wanted to change that, and asked for 14 would be self-contained flats for general residential use, with five remaining as supported-living units, reported the Northampton Chronicle & Echo.

The meeting heard concerns from the woman’s husband regarding building work at the site, in Roe Road, Abington, claiming workers had entered their property through a window while fitting it.

He said they removed belongings from the area and claimed that when his wife challenged them, the workers laughed.

He claimed to have raised concerns with the applicant, but was told by text: “I can't police them.”

He told councillors this left him questioning how future residents would be managed if the developer could not control contractors working on the site.

The developer strongly disputed the neighbours' account, branding some of the allegations as “ridiculous”.

He said the former factory had been in a dilapidated state when it was acquired and that residents had initially praised the work carried out on the building.

That changed as the proposals developed but he rejected suggestions people connected with the building had been behaving inappropriately towards neighbours.

He told councillors: “If anyone was talking to my children in the way they've alluded to it, I'd say call the police.

“This is ridiculous to make those sort of accusations and throw that around.”

Planning officers had recommended approval of the change of use.

However, having heard both sides, West Northamptonshire Council's Non-Strategic Planning Committee rejected the application citing concerns about the intensity of the development, parking and its impact on the residential area.