Residents living in a block of flats undergoing an upwards extension say their “lovely community is being ruined”.

Back in March, Castlemere Developments applied for - and won - planning permission to add an extra 11 homes on top of an existing three-storey block of 30 flats in Tunbridge Wells.

A novel construction method will see several modular units build on the flat roof.

When KentOnline reported on the new homes being lifted into place in May, the company’s spokesman John Parker praised the use of prefabricated modular homes.

He said it would not only be “quicker and cause less disruption” to neighbours but would also come out at about 70% of the standard cost.

Whether his prediction on pricing proves to be correct has yet to be tested, but his first assertion is certainly challenged by the existing residents at Hamilton Court in Chilston Road, who say their lives have been blighted.

Simon Fowler, who rents one of the middle-floor apartments with his girlfriend, said: “I’m so upset and angry.

“We had a lovely community here, but it’s being ruined. Not only have we had to put up with months of disruption and rubbish left about the place, but they’re also taking away our facilities.”

Mr Fowler said that each floor had initially been provided with a communal drying room, but some had now been removed to make way for a lift to be installed to reach the new apartments.

Then the glasshouses in the communal gardens were demolished to make way for an electric charging point, which was a condition of the planning permission.

The final straw came more recently, when Castlemere obtained an amendment to the original planning application to install 11 extra parking spaces.

To do so, they plan to remove some of the communal planting areas along the border of the properties.

Mr Fowler added: “We have one resident here who is past a hundred. He used to enjoy taking a circuit of the court - he can’t do that now.

The disgruntled resident also alleges that since the modular units had been placed on the roof, some flats on the third floor and some communal areas have begun to suffer water ingress.

He said: “They’ve not finished the roof surface off properly, there’s just tarpaulins left flapping in the wind. It’s been like that for months now.”

Mr Fowler said: “The worst of it is that no-one listens to us. We all objected before the planning permission was granted, but it made no difference.

“Since then I have written to my ward councillor, David Osborne, to my MP, Mike Martin, and to the Health and Safety Executive, but no-one seems able to help us.”

One of his neighbours, who didn’t want to be identified, lives in Hamilton House - a separate older block on the same site.

She is not having more apartments added to her building, but is still affected by the changes.

She said: “We moved here because it was a quiet environment. No longer. The building work was supposed to take six weeks, but it is still far from finished.

“I feel so sorry for the residents of Hamilton Court. It’s full of lovely people, but their lives are being ruined.

“We have a number of Eastern European families here, usually renting. They don’t complain, because they don’t know how to and they fear losing their tenancies if they do.

“I was horrified when the developers pulled down our greenhouses, now they want to take some of our garden space too.

“Why they are turning their attention to that when they still haven’t finished the units on the roof is beyond me.

Kris Collett, a director for Castelemere Developments said the changes will bring benefits to both long-term and new residents - while also making the building safer for all.

He said: “The water ingress has been caused by the failure of the current roof.

“The existing roof was extremely saturated and was at the end of its life.

“The trapped moisture has pushed the roof into properties below. We have been preparing all instances of water ingress and long-term residents will benefit from a new roof with a 25-year guarantee.

”The site is tidy and well kept. It must be remembered it is a building site, some noise and disruption is inevitable.

“The current works onsite started around four weeks ago and there will be another eight weeks of onsite works.

“It was planned to be a 12-week program, so I’m not sure anyone feels it is taking too long.”

He further explained the onsite works relate to a programme of refurbishment which will include additional car parking, new lifts and a door-entry system.

“Currently, there are no lifts in the building and the entrance doors are not secure,” he added. “There is also not enough parking onsite at the moment.

“But one of the most important parts of the site is related to works to improve fire safety.

“Currently there are a number of deficiencies in these flats in regard to fire safety which we are putting right at our own cost.

“The modular element of the project has been installed and was completed in three months as previously outlined.”

Mr Fowler added: “I’ve been talking to the site manager here recently, and he seems as fed up as we are, so perhaps it is not the main developer’s fault.”

For the record: In an earlier version of this story, we quoted Kris Collett as saying: “It was planned to be a 12-week program, so I’m not sure why anyone feels it is taking too long.” We have been asked to point out that the quote was actually: “It was planned to be a 12-week program, so I’m not sure anyone feels it is taking too long.” KentOnline is happy to clarify this.