Planning application - object on noise grounds?

pimento · 24 January 2012 at 11:31AM

Mrs_Imp wrote: »

Why not contact the fire department and ask them how often they think they'll be using the compound. They might say 'once a week' or 'once a day'. At least then you'll have a better idea about what you'll be facing and what you might be able to complain against.

Their application says

The compound could have a mult-agency approach where other emergency services could visit the Fire Station to take part in the training in order to provide best practise out on the regions roads..

So it looks like it will be more often than the one or two evenings a weeks.

MobileSaver · 24 January 2012 at 11:48AM

phill99 wrote: »

I think I'd be happy to live next door to this facility. People always expect to be cut out of their cars and their houses saved when the chip pan catches alight, but people don't want the inconvenience of a bit of noise so that fire fighters are trained effectively.

I wouldn't be happy and I don't think many other people would be either. Yes I expect the fire brigade to cut me out of my vehicle but I don't expect them to practise for such events right next to my house, in the middle of a residential area, seven days a week.

I'm with the OP 100%, object on noise grounds and offer a compromise of say a maximum of four weekdays a week.

Uk_Lover · 24 January 2012 at 11:57AM

Nope, I wouldn't want all that next door. Not for even 1 hour a week.

mufi · 24 January 2012 at 12:08PM

MobileSaver wrote: »

I wouldn't be happy and I don't think many other people would be either. Yes I expect the fire brigade to cut me out of my vehicle but I don't expect them to practise for such events right next to my house, in the middle of a residential area, seven days a week.

I'm with the OP 100%, object on noise grounds and offer a compromise of say a maximum of four weekdays a week.

I'd typed the same as you almost word for word, and the system ate it:eek:.

OP - I don't blame you one bit; accusations of nimbyism are yet another way for planners and governments to foist their latest harebrained schemes upon the rest of us. Ignore the emotional blackmail.

Harumph.

sonastin · 24 January 2012 at 1:36PM

I can understand the objection if it is going to be used 7 days a week but I am still not convinced that there is that much need for training, even with a multi-agency approach. How many fire-fighters and other agency users are in the area. How often do you go for refresher training for your job? How much more often do you think these workers spend in training exercises. And on this particular exercise especially. I honestly am not convinced that there is sufficient demand for this to be a real problem. Having a facility available 7 days a week so that once or twice a year you can use it at the weekend is not the same as using it 7 days a week for 52 weeks of the year. I still think the important question is how often the noisy training is going to be taking place.

RAS · 24 January 2012 at 1:50PM

I may be a cyniic but maybe the new main firestation know that would not get this passsed planning for objections there? And you have always been so accomodating?

pimento · 24 January 2012 at 2:10PM

I actually could live with it being used five days a week (just) but it's the possibility of Saturday and Sunday when I like to sit in my garden that really worries me. It's the thin end of the wedge.

I've found one other application for an identical facility at a Fire Station in the same county in a similar residential siting but they are 54 miles away so it wouldn't be suitable for 'my' firemen to use.

There are three other Fire Stations within a five mile radius and if their firemen want to use the facility that triples the usage already. Add the young drivers and it starts to looke very busy.

sonastin: They already train for six hours a week and I'd estimate they're using the cutters at least 40% of the time.

namecheck · 24 January 2012 at 2:25PM

MobileSaver wrote: »

I wouldn't be happy and I don't think many other people would be either. Yes I expect the fire brigade to cut me out of my vehicle but I don't expect them to practise for such events right next to my house, in the middle of a residential area, seven days a week.

I'm with the OP 100%, object on noise grounds and offer a compromise of say a maximum of four weekdays a week.

Yes, totally agree with you. These proposals are totally inappropriate in a residential area.

Fuzzyness · 24 January 2012 at 3:12PM

you certainly can object on noise grounds but to make the point you would need to demonstrate that noise would actually impact on your amenity of enjoying your house and garden. Whilst the expensive way to do this would be to employ an acoustic consultant to look at what noise the fire service are proposing to make and then make an assessment of how this would sound through your windows and in your garden etc. by doing this you could prove that the increased noise would have an adverse impact on your residential amenity.

as i said this would cost you money. a cheaper way would be to speak to your local ward councillor and ask him for support on seekng a restriction to the hours of operation i.e. 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday, 8am - 1pm saturday and not at all on Sundays or bank holidays. you could also ask that the fire service erect an acoustic fence along your boundary. the only problem is this may be taller than 2 metres and could have an overberearing impact on your garden.

Sugared-frog · 24 January 2012 at 3:57PM

Living near a building site has really made me appreciate Sundays which is the one day that it all falls quiet around here. After a couple of years of this it is beginning to get me down especially when they start earlier than they are supposed to. Today they started up a generator shortly after 7 am and yet work on the site isn't supposed to start till 8 am. I would certainly want to restrict the time zones that they are making noise so that you knew you would have predictable quiet times each week.