People living on a new housing estate say they have to keep their curtains closed 24 hours a day because of a lack of privacy.

They also say the only view from their homes is rusty containers and they have spotted rats in their gardens eating from bird feeders.

Those living on the Havillands development in Bramble Lane, Wye, near the railway station voiced their concerns at a parish council meeting.

One new homeowner, who did not wish to be named, said: “We moved to the development for a view of Wye, but the view is of a rusty container.”

The containers are on a site behind the properties which is rented by Skanska McNicholas, a company that carries out work on highways and railways, and has been there for several years.

However, the company only applied for retrospective planning permission for the depot, which is earmarked for an extension to the railway station car park in the local plan, with Ashford Borough Council in April.

Another new resident, who moved into a property through a housing association shared-ownership scheme, said: “When we went to the show evening it was dark and raining and we didn’t see the back of the house.

“We had just 15 minutes to make a decision to buy and write a cheque for the deposit.”

The housing association properties are among 57 homes being built on developer FDC Homes’ Havillands site, which is due to be completed in 18 months.

Families whose houses back on to the Skanska McNicholas site say the containers are just three and a half metres from one garden fence and only nine metres from some of the houses.

Residents say a lack of privacy forces them to keep their curtains closed 24 hours a day. They say rats – both dead and alive – have been spotted in gardens and even take the contents of bird feeders.

Parish councillors voted unanimously to oppose the application to allow the containers to stay. Skanska McNicholas said it planned to replace the rusty containers on the land it rents.

Company spokesman Tanya Barnes said: “Skanska has applied to the council for planning permission to retain their depot on Bramble Lane.

“When permission is granted, Skanska will be replacing cabins currently located on the site with new cabins.”

FDC Homes declined to comment.