A housing association held “a very positive meeting” which has served as a “wake up call” to get people in their homes by the end of August.

Sanctuary Housing, who failed on a promise to get families in their homes by January, has now stepped up their game by moving builders onto the site at Gaul Road in force in a bid to get the families in before Autumn.

Councillor Jan French who met with Sanctuary along with residents, said: “An awful lot of vans turned up last week. It was a positive meeting and we are hopeful families will be in by the end of August.

“It was a much-needed wake up call.”

Two weeks ago we featured the story of Sian Bond who is living in a box room with her partner Andrew Rilley, two-week old baby Thomas and five-year-old daughter Lily.

What should have been a happy moment as the couple set up their new home on the promised move date, of January 6, has instead turned into a testing time for the family, as they wait for the keys to their new home.

Sanctuary Housing is building 52 homes off Gaul Road but issues with paperwork with two major agencies slowed down completion of the estate.

The two agencies where Sanctuary had not correctly completed paperwork are Middle Level Commissioners and Anglian Water.

A spokesman for Sanctuary said: “Work is moving along, and we will be letting these properties as quickly as possible after they’ve been completed.

“We are, again, very sorry for the delay and we will continue to keep future residents updated on an individual basis.”