A HOMEOWNER claims £5million “improvements” at a new junction have permanently damaged his home.

Lee Butler, 39, said he was anxious when Southend Council’s contractors started work on the Kent Elms junction of the A127 earlier this year.

He claims he now has severe cracks on internal and external walls of his home which he says were caused by the constant digging outside of his home as part of the reconfiguration.

Mr Butler, who lives on the London bound side of the A127, said: “About two months ago, I went up into my bedroom and drew back the curtains and noticed cracks down the internal walls.

“I went to look outside and there were cracks there too. I then went and spoke to my neighbours and they said they had noticed similar cracks in their homes.

“A few months prior to this, Eurovia were digging a huge hole - about two metres deep - right outside my front door. There was a lot of vibrations and then it had to be re-done when the gas and water companies came to do their bit.”

Mr Butler said the cracks were especially concerning given that he had just refurbished his house after living there for 11 years.

He added: “I spoke to Eurovia and then e-mailed the council and got nothing more than an automatic reply. I’ve got enough stress in my life without having to deal with this.”

Preliminary work began on the junction back in 2016 but work on the London bound carriageway was started in April of this year and was completed in September but Mr Butler says the residents’ concerns were not listened to.

He added: “We all went to the meetings they had to put our point across that the plans to change the road layout was going to have an impact on us.

“Where they have moved the road closer to my house, I am getting even more tremors from the lorries that pass by now and the junction doesn’t even seem to have improved that much - if anything the works have made it worse.

“I just want to know where I stand because it’s extremely concerning to have cracks like that and could end up costing me a fortune.”

A council spokesman said: “We can confirm that we have received an enquiry from a resident who alleges the Kent Elms work has had a detrimental effect on the value of their property.

“We have advised the resident of the procedure for submitting a compensation claim. If such a claim is received, it will then be investigated and assessed.”