NEWPORT home owners claim they have been forced to move out of their brand new properties due to structural issues after moving in just over a year ago.

It is alleged that cracks appeared in the foundations of some homes in the £1bn St Modwen housing development built on the site of the former Corus steelworks at Llanwern forcing some residents to leave their homes this October.

Builders, Persimmon Homes, have bought back up to four homes from residents and they have moved to different homes.

Martin Smith, managing director of Charles Church East Wales, a subsidiary of the house builder Persimmon Homes, said “We take matters such as these very seriously and Charles Church has worked alongside homeowners to find a positive solution.

“We are aware of the structural issues on an isolated number of properties and we have worked hard to resolve them.

“Both we and the purchasers have reached an agreement to relocate within the site.”

Ian and Petra French say they moved into their five bedroom property on Bridling Crescent in June 2013 just after it was built but encountered 6mm wide cracks extending from the top to the bottom of the house on both the interior and exterior within months of moving in.

They will move out this October but said that the situation was handled well by Charles Church East Wales.

“We are putting it down to bad luck,” she said.

“It is very unfortunate but Charles Church have been very good.

“It’s been a long process as we started noticing it in May/June time 2013 after we moved in.

“We are still living there at the moment and are in the middle of negotiations about what they [Charles Church] are going to do for us.

“We are moving out permanently.”