North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson has slammed the 'completely unacceptable' state residents in The Brambles, in Whitchurch, have been left in by builders.

Mr Paterson met with residents on Friday to discuss whether progress had been made on bringing the street – which is off Chester Road – up to standard as he first contacted Shropshire Council and Welsh Water (WW) last month.

But on hearing that backed up sewage from a poorly-built pumping station has been causing illness, with residents at the end of their tether with building company Southworth Construction, formerly Sherwood Homes, the council and the water company.

"It's completely unacceptable," he said

"I wasn't surprised [on what he had seen] because the residents have sent me the horrible photographs. This has really got to be resolved – it looks like the builders have not fulfilled their obligations in connecting the sewage pipes and finishing the road, as one is required.

"I've already been in correspondence with Shropshire Council and Welsh Water, and I'll be writing to them again asking that these problems be fixed.

"With autumn coming, we want to do this in the summer while it's dry. I've just heard that there's problems with children and dogs getting sick – it's completely unacceptable. Let's get this done."

Rob Bailey, speaking for the residents in The Brambles, said they just want what they have paid for and for Shropshire Council and Welsh Water to be held accountable.

"We've had major issues with sewage and sanitary items coming into our gardens and into the road, which started about a year ago," he said. "The pumping station didn't have any pumps in it, and was just gathering waste.

"Calls were made to Sherwood Homes or Prestige – whatever they were called then – who sent someone in a car with a pick-axe. We asked them to come back with proper equipment and that just blew.

"One of the residents called an insurance company who inspected the drains to say they were blocked, and the sewage was backing up.

"We've all been here about a year. The problems started after we moved in as some problems only showed up on different surveys. It depended on the surveys that people had done.

"The main thing is the contract and planning permission from Shropshire Council states that there must be a pumping station built to their building standards. Welsh Water should have a section 104 in place stating that no work can start until the 104 is in place, and one hasn't been since 2012.

"Our issue that there's a development built after 2012 from their regulations that any sewers constructed must have a mandatory section 104 in place, which an agreement with the builder and the water organisation. Welsh Water would then monitor it throughout the build that it's up to their specification – that hasn't happened.

"Welsh Water have been negligent, in our eyes. We would then expect WW to inform building control that this isn't happening as per the planning permission – this isn't happening.

"We've got no evidence they've even been near the site but have completion certificates for buildings that haven't been completed before they were signed off.

"All our contracts state that it's a criminal offence to start construction without a 104 being in place. We asked why they didn't prosecute and they said they were working with developer.

"When we moved in, we were told the pumping station would in by October 9 last year. But it was being emptied by tanker each week, and then three times a week and in between being emptied, it was overflowing.

"It couldn't get down the road. When it does overflow, it backed up the drains and toilets of houses of one side of the street, as well as the tank.

"We just want what we've paid for; a pumping station, street lights and a road. We warned Shropshire Council this developer is riding roughshod in this county – we're hearing about other developments in Shropshire. They're continuing to allow it.

"People's livelihoods are being ruined by building control not being in control of a rogue developer. Shropshire Council knew about this and are part of this as they're issuing completion certificates for houses that didn't have a roof on it. It's proof they didn't come to see it."

A spokesman for Welsh Water said: "We understand that a new drainage system has been laid at The Brambles development in Whitchurch without required legal agreement.

“Whenever a developer wishes to lay a new sewerage system, a legal agreement is required in order to comply with legislation set by Welsh Government. This ensures that it is built to the standards required before Welsh Water can adopt or take responsibility for the network. On this occasion, we were contacted after the pumping station and sewers had been laid and the developer has never concluded this process.

“While we’ll do everything we can to support the residents, the responsibility for maintaining the sewer network currently rests with the developer until we are satisfied that they have met all their obligations. We are attempting to try and engage with the developer to try to resolve the situation.”

A Shropshire Council spokesperson said: “There’s a live investigation ongoing; we can’t comment any further.”

Southworth Construction were contacted for a comment but had not responded at time of going to print.