People living in Great Dunmow have raised concerns about developers in the area using sprinklers to maintain their new turf during the recent drought.

Bellway Homes, who are developing the Sapphire Fields site in Stortford Road, have been challenged over their use of water.

Great Dunmow resident Pascale Muir said: "I challenged Bellway Homes on site about their regular day-long use of eight visible sprinklers to maintain their new turf using sprinklers which leak badly at the connection to the stand pipes and usually are discharging our precious water over the roads and pavements.

"I was told that they have a licence to use the sprinklers. Whether this is true or not it is most certainly immoral, irresponsible and in my view bordering criminal.

"Presumably Bellway give more importance to the untimely planting of turf than they do to the supply of water further down the pipeline. Which regular person doesn’t know that new turf should be laid in spring or autumn?"

Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) has announced that its administration at the district council is writing to developers to urge that they conserve water and are considerate of their use.

A statement from Bellway said: "Bellway takes its responsibility for water management on site extremely seriously and we are introducing measures on our sites to reduce the use of water on sites for construction and landscaping works.

"Ordinarily we undertake large areas of landscaping in autumn or winter to maximise the chance of them establishing.

"In relation to Sapphire Fields, the area in question is part of the developments ‘Sustainable Drainage System’ (SUDS) which is designed to prevent stormwater runoff, preventing surges in the surrounding local stormwater drainage, and the planting in and around the basin plays a key part in this.

"These areas also form part of our Biodiversity and Environmental Management Plan (BEMP) which is part of our commitment to create vital habitat for flora and fauna.

"Despite being planted in spring, the dry weather has meant the planting has not yet established and would not survive the current dry conditions and our priority is that the area matures to enable it to perform in the overall development's Biodiversity and SUDS role."