HOMES in a York estate are suffering from major structural problems, the Evening Press can reveal today.

Defects have been found in the ground floors of as many as 11 homes in Tamworth Road - barely five years after they were built.

Homes giant Persimmon, which constructed the street in Waterside Park, is so concerned about the problem it has bought back FOUR of the houses from their occupants at market prices.

Boss Ian Hessay says the construction giant does not yet know what is causing the problem in the houses, which are valued at about £110,000.

The National House Building Council (NHBC) is the leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes.

Worried homeowners had contacted NHBC chiefs to ask them what was happening in their properties.

Today an NHBC spokeswoman said: "The homeowners in Tamworth Road are all covered by NHBC's ten-year Buildmark warranty for new homes.

"NHBC has been approached by a number of homeowners on the site and has carried out investigations into nine of the 11 properties, where we have identified problems relating to settlement of the ground floor.

"We have also written to the remaining two homes offering a similar investigation to determine whether they also have the same problem.

"We have now received detailed engineer reports on the eight homes we have visited and plans for remedial work are now underway.

"We are in contact with the homeowners and will be informing them as soon as the work programme has been agreed."

The Waterside Park development was completed in two phases, the first in late 1997 and the second in early 1999.

Mr Hessay, managing director of Persimmon Homes (Yorkshire), said he was still waiting to receive a detailed report from NHBC engineers.

"Persimmon Homes is aware that there have been problems with ground floor settlement which has affected a number of properties at the Waterside Park development in Clifton," he said.

"As a responsible developer, we have concluded part exchange packages on a number of homes.

"All properties are in the hands of the NHBC who are responsible for carrying out remediation work under the ten-year Buildmark guarantee.

"At this stage, we have not been issued with formal engineering reports or remediation strategy and until that is received, we cannot make any further comment."

John Fowler, City of York Council's head of building control, said: "This is not a common problem, although it does happen sometimes.

"Ground floor settlement is where a load of 'hard-core' (stone and foundation material) is filled beneath the concrete of the floor.

"The problems come when that settlement slips for some reason. It depends how bad the slip is but, at worst, they could have to remove floors."

Ben Hudson, at Hudson Moody solicitors in High Petergate, said the problems could knock at least £10,000 off the selling price of an affected house.

Updated: 11:21 Friday, April 11, 2003