Contractors are building an affordable housing unit block in the street and Ms Marchant and other residents are not impressed by the damage to their properties that has resulted.

Ms Marchant said it would have been polite to let the residents know the work, which involved connecting the units to power, would be taking place.

She said it would also be nice if someone fixed up their driveways.

“They have replaced the concrete strip with blue metal. This is unacceptable because the blue metal will sink,” she said.

Ms Marchant said the contractors who did the work were pleasant but she was not happy when they said they would not be replacing the concrete.

The Ritchie Street residents say they are paying a high price for the unit construction, funded by the NSW Government.

As well as having their driveways dug up, residents have had to endure their power being cut off, a water pipe being damaged during the work and their street torn up.

Ms Marchant wants to know who will be repairing the street that has been damaged by heavy vehicles.

She is in favour of more affordable housing being built in the area, however like many other residents she has not been happy with the lack of communication around the entire process.

The hacked driveway and now bare nature strip does not fit in with the look of Ms Marchant’s home, which she obviously takes good care of.

Kiama MP Matt Brown said that once the work was completed he expected Ritchie Street to look as good as, if not better than, it was before.

He said the issue with the driveways was a temporary solution and he expected the contractors to finish their job to the high standard demanded by Housing NSW.

Mr Brown urged residents to contact Housing NSW if they had concerns.

“The residents I spoke with were as happy as Larry with the process,” Mr Brown said.

He said the creation of affordable housing was important and added it was a shame something so positive had attracted some negativity.

Mr Brown said he expected contractors to fix any damage they caused.