Housing developers have responded to concerns over a double road closure said to have brought chaos to a Suffolk town.

Drivers in Framlingham have complained of “gridlocked” roads and huge diversions after Mount Pleasant and College Road were closed for two weeks to allow for sewage works to a new housing development.

The closure, which started on Monday and is scheduled to last until Friday, January 19, has seen diversions put in place sending motorists around the B1120 through Dennington.

However, many drivers, including lorries and busses, had been taking shorter diversion via Brook Lane and New Street, which are said to be unsuitable for such volumes of traffic, leading to congestion and damaged verges.

Framlingham town clerk Eileen Coe said earlier this week that she had been inundated with complaints and called for better signposting.

Residents have also criticised the signing.

One resident wrote to the EADT calling the signage “appalling”.

“There is no obvious warning as you approach the town from Saxtead, so endless vehicles are being forced to turn around in driveways,” they added.

Robbie Abraham, who lives on the Saxtead side of Framlingham said “the whole place is gridlocked”.

“We are all inconvenience so someone can line their pockets to build houses that no local people wanted in the first place,” he added.

Keith Mears, another resident, asked who was going to pay for the damage cause to Brook Lane and New Street. “The verges and road edges are already in a terrible state,” he added.

A Persimmon Homes Suffolk spokesman has responded to the concerns.

“The works are related to the foul drainage to the new homes development,” the spokesman said.

“Every effort has been made to minimise inconvenience to local residents, who were informed by letter drop and liaison with local schools and businesses prior to the work commencing. The signage and diversion routes have been approved by the local highway authority.

“The road is expected to be closed for two weeks, followed by approximately one week of traffic control under three-way lights and then approximately four to five weeks of two-way lights.”