NEIGHBOURS living on what was has been claimed was a once quiet, residential street in east Reading are at war over plans to extend the size of a house share notorious for noise, rubbish and bad smells.

Residents of College Road have joined forces to object plans to extend the multi-occupancy house at number 44 from a four bedroom into a six bedroom property.

Neil Crook, resident of the street for 12 years and member of the College Road Action Group, claims Reading Borough Council are “in constant denial of the situation”.

The 50-year-old computer engineer said: “It’s very frustrating for us residents if I’m being honest. The council want to try and control noise density but at the same time its all about landlords making money so it makes the situation impossible for us.”

In a presentation to the planning committee during last week’s council meeting, Mr Crook and fellow campaigner and neighbour Karen Impey, 39, said bins have been left overflowing and the level of noise is unacceptable.

She said: “Parking on College Road has always been diabolically bad for years but since number 44 became multi-occupancy this year it’s been 10 times worse.”

Mrs Impey, who works in an art gallery in London, said the high level of noise is so unbearable that she often has to move to a different room in her house when the occupants next door are watching television.

She added: “You’ve got all these people living together and they don’t know each other so they’re not like a family sat in the living room watching TV together, they’re in their separate rooms with their windows open and the sound blaring out.

“It’s so bad that the couple living the other side sharing the wall with number 44 have had to move their bedroom to the back of the house.”

More rooms are being advertised on Right Move for £710-£750 per month with bills included and both rooms will be available in the new year.

A spokesman from property management company Bluebird Ltd said: “We take noise complaints very seriously and in the rental contract there is a statement about the levels of noise.

“We have been proactive in attending to the rubbish stationed outside the property to prevent more bad smells.”

The property was advertised as a seven bedroom house in August by Mr Sales & Lettings but this was found to be inaccurate and was quickly changed.

Chair of the planning committee Councillor Chris Maskell said: “There is a considerable amount of interest in this application and I want to ensure residents that we’ll get this application right.”

The committee deferred the application on December 10.