A HOUSEBUILDER has been given three months to install permanent traffic signals- or face court action.

An enforcement notice has been served to a housing company in Station Road, Pershore after council chiefs became fed up with progress at the junction.

Temporary traffic lights have been in use for several months near the Persimmon Homes development, with the housing company coming under fire from residents due to the heavy traffic at the junction.

The enforcement notice means that the housing developer must install permanent traffic signals, amongst other things, within three months.

Enforcement Notices are legal documents that require certain action be taken to remedy a breach of planning control and the case could then be taken to court if Persimmon do not comply with the conditions.

Cllr Charles Tucker of Wychavon District Council, who has called for an enforcement notice for several months, said: "Persimmon were required by their planning permission to install permanent "smart" traffic lights at the junction of Station Road and Wyre Road in Pershore before any houses were occupied - which started in about May 2016.

"They needed to reach an agreement with the county council before doing so, but have never managed to provide the required information over a period of more than two years.

"Everyone who has been involved is convinced that they simply wanted to delay the process, to avoid having to spend the money needed until they had sold lots of houses.

"It is only in the last few months, after pressure from all quarters, that they have produced a technically competent design for the traffic lights.

"Meanwhile, temporary lights have had to be installed, which have caused mayhem and misery to the local residents and businesses using Station Road.

"I am furious that Persimmon's directors have been able to make such fortunes on the back of misery and mayhem for local people and am very glad to learn that formal enforcement action is at last to be taken against them.

"Pershore has suffered long enough."

Gary Williams, head of planning and housing for Wychavon said: “The developer has not fulfilled a number of conditions they were required to as part of their planning permission, including the installation of permanent traffic signals.

"Therefore we have issued them with a breach of condition notice requesting compliance with these conditions in accordance with a prescribed timetable.

"Failure to comply with this notice could result in the council referring the matter to the courts.”

This is the latest episode in a long-running saga, which saw residents call for a roundabout to end the traffic chaos, but these fell on deaf ears.

Persimmon Homes must now comply with three conditions within the next month and two more conditions within the next three months, including the traffic light condition.

Persimmon Homes was unavailable for comment.