LOCALS living in a seaside spot say their town is being ruined by £1.8million flats that let off a "tinnitus-inducing" high-pitched screech.
The newly constructed luxury flats along the seafront of Folkestone, Kent had already been met by opposition within the community as they were developed.
But now the homes, built by Sir Roger De Haan, are leaving residents blocking their ears on windy days.
In footage snapped on a windy day in the town's waterfront, a "high-pitched hum" is overwhelming.
Locals quickly took to their Facebook community group to question what the screech was.
Some said it left them having a restless night, while others jokingly sympathised with those who splash out £430,000 to £1.8million on one of the 84 new homes.
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The Shoreline Cresent flats, which are now by far the most expensive in Folkestone, are sold as having been "carefully designed" and "meticulously considered".
The company has claimed the noise is only "temporary" and would not be an issue once construction was complete.
For now, those living near the building say they're sick of the noise.
One wrote on social media: "Keeps us awake all night when it's windy."
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Another said: "It's like a harp mixed with xylophone, quite loud. Hope they've got triple-glazing, that would drive me insane."
Others said they had been wondering what the noise was, while raising concerns about what the coastal wind will mean for their ears in winter.
Shoreline Cresent said: “We are not in dispute with our neighbours and any noise generated during strong winds is only temporary during the construction process.
"The issue will be resolved when permanent handrails are installed on the balconies of certain apartments in the coming weeks.”
Earlier this year Sir Roger, a multi-millionaire, attracted criticism after admitting the new development will be particularly attractive to Londoners and is likely to be too expensive for local residents.
The penthouse at the top of the Shoreline Crescent building will be on the market for up to £1.8million, while the cheapest property will be £430,000 – more than double the average price of a flat in the town.
But Sir Roger has refuted allegations he is trying to gentrify the town, instead highlighting how he has invested millions of pounds to improve the area for locals over the last two decades.
He told KentOnline: "I think the people who come to live here will help the economy. I think it will help with shopping centres. It will help the restaurants, the bars and so on – local businesses.
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"It will help Folkestone and hopefully improve the lives and prospects of people living in the town. I suppose it’s a sort of gentrification in the sense that many of the homes on the seafront are going to be fairly pricey.
"But I think the whole community will benefit from this investment."
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