Imran has slammed construction regeneration company, Engie Developers for failing to exterminate rodents after work at their Romanby Shaw site in Eccleshill created a rat infestation that is plaguing local residents and terrifying children.

Engie Developers are currently undertaking construction of new build homes at the brownfield Romanby Shaw site, but in the course of their redevelopment, unearthed and destroyed a large nest of rats, forcing the rodents to seek safety in the gardens of nearby residents.

However, despite their work unleashing the infestation, Engie has refused calls from concerned residents worried about their children’s safety, and have rejected demands that they pay for the extermination of the rats.

After being approached by residents, Imran visited the site to meet residents and see first-hand the scale of the rat infestation, hearing how the residents had never had problems before the redevelopment, but were now witnessing the rats on their streets and in their gardens ‘day and night’, with fears that they would quickly breed, making the problem even worse.

Following the meeting with residents, Imran has written to the CEO of Engie Developers, demanding that they accept responsibility for the infestation and exterminate the rats.

Speaking on the development, Imran said:

“Rats pose a huge public health risk with the number of diseases that they carry, and I fully understand the concerns of parents worried that their children could come into contact with the rodents whilst playing.

“Engie Developers should have undertaken a more thorough assessment of the site they were redeveloping in order to prevent this situation in the first place, but now that it has occurred, they must bear the responsibility for the infestation and pay for the rats’ extermination to protect residents.

“I have written to Engie expressing my concerns for the safety of residents and children in particular, and I hope that they will listen and act to end the problems that they have started with their redevelopment work.”