A PORT pensioner living beside a 'dangerous' building site that had to be closed by health and safety bosses fears a landslide will send his home crashing down a ten-metre sheer drop.

Gerry Timoney, 78, and his 73-year-old wife Eleanor are worried that impending winter weather could destroy their house, garage and garden at Dougliehill Terrace.

The couple are living directly next door to the Marturano Homes development, which was destroyed by fire at the end of 2021. 

Mr Timoney - who says there has been no update regarding the site - told the Telegraph: "I'm appalled that nothing has been done. 

"I'm worried that the land will slip down the hill and take my property with it.

"It's created a lot of worry for myself and my wife.

"We're pensioners, we don't need this."

Greenock Telegraph:

"It's a dangerous site and it is a constant worry for us."

The site was closed down fully by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) in December 2021 due to 'unsafe conditions' and HSE bosses partially stopped construction work close to the embankment last summer. 

Marturano Homes secured planning permission to build on the site in April 2021.

The area is now full of gabion baskets, which are large crates crammed with stones and boulders, and there are also discarded planks of wood and pieces of dumped debris. 

Greenock Telegraph:
There's a section of fencing separating the site from the driveway and other homes, but Mr Timoney says protects his property from the drop. 

Despite fencing, he says that the site is still a hazard.

Mr Timoney added: "There are families all around here and a lot of kids nearby. 

"I can't let my dog out in the garden, he wouldn't survive the drop if he went down the hill. 

"People are treating it as a dumping ground now. 

"We just want it cleared away."

Greenock Telegraph:

Consulting engineers JNP Group, hired by Mr Timoney to inspect the site, have reported: "The householder has real concerns about the future integrity of the garage, his garden ground, and his house and foregoing observations corroborate his fears. 

"There are valid concerns about the integrity of the retaining wall in terms of design and construction."

 Mr Timoney is concerned about how the bad winter weather will affect the area. 

He said: "It floods all the time and it could freeze over. 

"What happens when it thaws out?

"Where does it go when it drains away?

"We want the site to be remediated so there's no threat to our property."

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Mr Timoney, who has lived in the property since 2000, said he and his wife now can't get insurance for their home due to the safety concerns. 

He added: "We're getting ridiculous quotes from insurers due to the risk of subsidence. 

"We're not interested in any financial gain from it.

"We just want the safety of it reinstated so we can get insured again.

"I don't know what will happen. We just want it cleared away."

Mr Timoney says that JNP Group engineers found that the method of retaining the excavation had been 'overlooked' in development plans. 

Greenock Telegraph:
Among many issues, they identified problems with the size of the gabion baskets (walls), the retaining wall, slope stability calculations, and the lack of facility for rainfall fall-off.

READ MORE: Port pensioner living in fear next to 'dangerous' building site

Owner of Marturano Homes, Alfie Marturano, claims work is due to start on the site 'imminently'. 

He told the Telegraph: "We're in the process of refinancing everything. 

"The delay is down to the insurance company not paying out.

"Two full houses burned to the ground, in excess of £300,000 each. 

"It has taken a lot of money and solicitors to sort this out."

Mr Marturano added: "I've been speaking to the neighbours and doing everything I can to try to keep folk happy. 

"I just want to get it done, to get the site nice and clean and tidy, and create nice family homes.

"Hopefully it comes to a nice conclusion in the end."