CHRISTCHURCH traders have slammed developers for digging up the busy High Street – without notifying them first.

Business owners along the main route say they arrived at work to find that contractors working on behalf of Renaissance Retirement had cordoned off a stretch of the road outside the Ship Inn.

They then found that sections of the road will be out of action for around three weeks, and are set to be completed just one day before thousands descend on the town for the Christmas festival.

Linda Cook, the owner of Heartizans Deli and member of Christchurch Chamber of Trade, called the move “audacious”.

“We’ve had no notification whatsoever,” she said.

“When I arrived at work, they were digging everything up. There are signs blocking parking bays along the road. It was just a complete shock as no one had told us at all. It’s outrageous.”

The works will provide water and sewerage to a multi-million-pound retirement development currently under way at the Cornfactor site.

There are temporary lights in place.

Jonathan Mepham, owner of Christchurch News, said: “I didn’t get any notice about it at all.

“It seems to me to be completely the wrong time of year for it. If they block off parking, as they’re doing today, that’s a really big deal for traders like me as it’ll have an effect on business.”

His comments were echoed by Mike Ismail, who owns restaurant Baggies and claims he has been subject to “10 months of hell” as a result of the development.

“It’s usually buzzing in here at lunchtime, but nobody wants to sit here and eat with the sound of a drill next to them,” he said.

“This morning I arrived at work and found the world turned upside down. It’s having a huge effect on my business.”

Nick Watkins, left, of Renaissance Retirement, said the road will be fully reopen before the Christmas festival on November 29.

“We have gone through all the appropriate channels to get permission for these works,” he said.

“I appreciate that it is a bit disruptive, but it must be done.”

A spokesman from Dorset County Council confirmed that permission had been given for the work, but added that developers are advised to drop leaflets in to residents to warn them, which had not been done by Renaissance.