A housing association chief has moved to reassure furious tenants in Cardigan who say there has been a lack of consultation over plans to take over part of a garden on their estate to build six flats.

Steve Jones, chief executive of Tai Ceredigion attended a public meeting called after angry residents complained about the scheme, which involves using part of the garden at 13 Maes yr Haf to site the new three-storey block of flats (Tivy-Side last week).

But as the formal planning application is due to go in this week many residents are now preparing to send in objections to the project to the planning authority, Ceredigion County Council.

Mr Jones told the meeting on Thursday: “There is a high need for one-bedroom flats in Cardigan and the county council will confirm that.”

He said the association had already visited some people on the estate for informal consultation about the scheme, although there was no legal obligation to consult in the pre-planning stage.

But many residents who live near the site said they had not had any talks with Tai Ceredigion and were not aware of any consultation.

Anna-Marie Stewart, who lives at 13 Maes yr Haf and will lose half her garden to the project, said : “The first we knew of it was when five people turned up at my door and demanded access to the garden to start staking it off. I have asked all my neighbours and no one was contacted locally.”

County councillor Mark Cole, who called the meeting, said: “We do have a responsibility to provide social housing, but is this really a suitable location for any development? The initial consultation was not wide enough and there are clear issues of concern here.”

Local residents raised concerns about building on the site at all, as there is a culvert running underneath it; others were worried about highways safety and parking; and some that their properties and gardens would be overlooked.

Town councillor Mair Morris told Mr Jones: “I am disappointed at the lack of consultation, especially with the people personally affected by the development. You should learn about that from this.”

And Cllr Llwyd Edwards said: “I would advise Tai Ceredigion to consider people’s views locally. The ground problems in the area are known and you cannot ignore that.”

Mayor, Cllr Catrin Miles, said the plans would be considered at the next meeting of the Town Council, which is held next Tuesday.

After the public meeting Mr Jones issued a statement to the press, thanking the tenants for their comments and  concluding: “We want to work with our tenants to deliver the best quality homes for the community and also to be a responsible landlord.”