A developer has apologised for disruption caused to motorists using Ottery’s main road.

Ruud Jansen Venneboer, of Mazzard Farm, said traffic has been at a standstill both ways into Mill Street on multiple occasions due to work outside the Otters Holt development.

The businessman said residents had no advanced notice of the recent work and he has had enough of contractors causing ‘havoc’ on the town’s road. Developer Acorn Property Group says the current work outside the 33-home development will be in place until June 1 and that contractors will be issuing newsletters and road signs about future work.

Mr Venneboer told the Herald: “I find it staggering how much disruption this relatively small development has caused. There has been no advance warning and I don’t know how many times they have blocked up the road.

“I think it’s unacceptable. Every evening the queues are going back into the Mill Street shopping area.

“The King’s School children have exams at the moment and they need to be there on time. Monday was the final straw - I sat there thinking ‘this is crazy’.

“It’s discourteous to the people of Ottery; it could have been managed a hell of a lot better.”

Councillor Claire Wright added that it was good the old factory site was being developed, but the number of times the road had been dug up was frustrating. She said: “The traffic lights are on, off, on, off and it’s been going on months. The road has been dug up enough over the last year.”

Robin Squire, director of Acorn’s Bristol office, said: “We apologise for the disruption caused by works taking place along Mill Street.

“We understand that there is a lot of construction work in progress in a very small area and that this can be frustrating.

“We appreciate the patience of everyone that these works have affected and can inform you that all works causing disruption to the road will be finished by Friday, June 1. In the meantime, our appointed contractor Halsall will be issuing newsletters to the surrounding addresses and erecting road signs to communicate the dates and lengths of any further works which may cause traffic build-up.”