AS plans were passed last week for 230 new homes on Matford Home Farm, Teignbridge District Council has moved to reassure residents that they take noise associated with development seriously.
Village resident Brian Aird had raised concerns after himself suffering from being wakened early by contractors at Milbury Reach.
Mr Aird said: "The times contractors can work have been set as part of the planning conditions and we need to be re-assured that this will be enforced by the authorities, especially when we will soon have all these new homes being built nearby.
"We have been making the same complaints about working hours regularly for the last two years.
"We haven't just made this up, it's been a blight on our lives and the lives of others for all that time.
"If they can't make the planning regulations stick in that time, they aren't ever going to.
"They just have a completely feeble approach, avoiding any potential for additional costs to the council and failing to protect the public they are there to serve."
Cllr John Goodey, Teignbridge District Council's executive spokesman for housing and planning, said:
"We sympathise with the concerns raised by Mr Aird about early morning noise and we've taken some action to help reassure him.
"One of our planning enforcement officers has conducted a number of unannounced early morning weekday and weekend visits to investigate. On two occasions it seems works had started a few minutes before the approved time of 7.30am but on no occasion was there any significant breach of the planning conditions.
"What has become apparent is that workmen are arriving early to start work but it has not been proven that works are actually being carried out and there has not been any clear breach of planning conditions.
"We work to apply planning rules fairly and consistently. "Enforcement action is not something we enter into lightly, it can become a complicated and lengthy process.
"However, we understand the concerns and appreciate people don't want to be disturbed early in the morning. We have written to Bloor Homes asking them to work in a more considerate way and to limit noise to the agreed start and finish times. In the meantime we will continue to monitor the site."
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