To: Ian Rutherford <Ian.Rutherford@southtyneside.gov.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, 18 March 2014, 18:15
Subject: Re: Noise at UK Docks, River Drive [NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED]

Dear Mr Rutherford

I have returned home from work (at 4:45pm), today, 18/03/14.

I have been informed the noise from a generator placed outside the shed (not inside the shed – the one with no doors, and currently looking as though it has a large skip in it….) on the land behind Harbour View, being used by John Wilson/UK Docks, has been running all day.  It was quiet for approx half an hour when I got in, then started up again at 5:30pm.

The nosie level is unacceptable.  Please see the attached link which states you (Environmental Dept) have a madatory obligation to deal with our complaints with regard to noise, Noise Act 1996:

http://www.problemneighbours.co.uk/rights-under-noise-act.html

It states the perpetrators can be issued with a noise abatement notice.

Please do not resort to your previous arguments that the noise emanates from an industrial site.  WE ARE NOT AN INDUSTRIAL SITE, even if they are!  The fact that the estate is parallel to an industrial site means that there is a conflict, whether you think the council can deal with it or not.

The noise levels require measurement, and a legislative balance needs to be drawn up to recognise the fact that it is not a yard within an area of industry – it is a yard within an area of residential properties.

The conflict of an industrial site directly beside a residential site means you cannot simply keep stating that as an industrial site they have rights to their activities above the residents of Harbour View.

The council and Environment Dept MUST accept that actions need to be taken to:

1) Accept that the industrial site does not have precedence over the residential site, which was constructed in 1991 BEFORE the planning permission was given on the boatyard site, therefore the argument that it was established is nonsense;

2) Accept that this is becoming intolerable to the residents, as we do not have protection for our hearing,nor control when the noise will stop!

3) That the owners of the yard, having already breached the planning permission given in 1996, will most likely ignore any reasonable requests to consider their ‘neighbours’ in the work they complete;

4) There are considerable Health and Safety issues which have to be considered:
– the yard owners and workers have already caused potential polution by grinding and dismantling a fibreglass speedboat within a few feet of our houses (the workman being in full protective gear – unfortunatley we weren’t!);
– the nosie is equally a part of the H&S issues – again, we don’t have the luxury of ear protectors;
– they are not confining work to the so called protection on the shed, and it’s a nonsense anyway, as it is open ended;

5) And therefore, accept that legal action is the only step we can take as residents, if the council, and its relevant depts, don’t take the actions the legislation states has the mandatory obligation to take.

Please: walk in our shoes for a while – we doubt that if this was going on next to where you, or the owners of the business live, that you would put up with it.

Thank you
Julie