With regard to ongoing issues with industrial site River Drive, adjacent to Harbour View: FAO: Senior Planning Officers

The Environmental dept advises they have no say over issues regarding the consistent breach in the 1996 planning permission.

Our concerns continue with our complaints not being adequately dealt with.

It appears the planning dept have little interest in applying their mandatory obligations to enforce compliance by the owners of the boat yard on River Drive, with the planning permissions given in 1996.

We would ask that council representatives desist from constantly pointing out that we reside adjacent to an industrial site. If this is dealt within a fair and reasonable way, then equally you should be acknowledging that they operate adjacent to a residential estate.  You constantly argue that they are an established industrial site. However, at the time of the original planning requests and permissions WE were an established residential estate, construction having commenced in 1991.

Unfortunately there is no magic industrial/residential wall separating us: it would be handy to have something to shut of the noise and general products of yard activity. Equally the yard operatives probably feel the same way.  However, there is no magic wall between us, and we find ourselves buttressed up together. So we are left to find something that will hopefully:

– stop any proposed expansion to the work in the yard (are you beginning to realise what the impact will be, based on the current experiences?!);

– step up to the footplate and do the right thing: act on your mandatory obligation to actually deal with our issues, rather than simply repeating ‘industrial site, industrial site’ like a hideous mantra;

– recognise that there is no magic wall between us, and that you now are responsible ( not those who originally approved the planning permission) in doing something positive about our concerns;

– and we want you to:

a) not agree to further planning expansion in the yard;

b) enforce the original planning permission agreements: shed height and size; limits on work – times, noise etc;

c) acknowledge that not only are they an industrial site but that we are a residential site, as of 1991, and therefore WERE established before the boatyard permissions;

d) recognise that if our complaints are not dealt with, we will escalate our issues to the Ombudsman, as per the complaint processes

We await your details as to how you intend to deal with our complaints.

Regards

Julie and David Routledge