A GAPING hole in a row of nineteenth century terraced houses in Caldicot, left passers-by astounded.

Number 85, Newport Road was part of an 1870s terrace built to house the families of men working on the Severn Tunnel.

Over the Christmas period, owner, Christian Rogers, 28, says he ran into problems with renovation work on the property.

"I was planning on extending the house and I had planning permission to take part of the house down at the rear to do it," he said.

"Once I started I realised there was subsidence at the front. The building became unsafe and I had no choice but to pull it down."

Mr Rogers has his own building company – Frame Tech Construction – and is doing the building work in his spare time.

He has already started to rebuild the front of the house and says the new structure will look the same, but will be built to a more environmentally friendly specification than before, with insulated floors, walls and ceilings.

His neighbours have been briefed about his progress and are not concerned, he says.

"There were a lot of people walking past on the street who were interested in what I was doing and a lot of people complained," he said.

"The way I see it, it shouldn't affect anyone else if my neighbours are happy. It is my property. I own it and I can do what I want with it.

"If anyone is worried about it, they can knock at the door and speak to me personally about it."

Mr Rogers says the work is scheduled to be completed in approximately 12 months and he plans to live in the house with his partner Lucy Parsons when it is completed.

A Monmouthshire County Council spokesman said: "The owner had permission to build a two storey extension on the back of the house.

"He has been advised to submit a retrospective planning application and we will be monitoring the work to make sure he builds it back as per the previous house."