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Kent’s biggest car breaking yard faces being shut down over noise complaints, including from a riding school where horses are being “spooked”.
The stable owners say their lives are being ruined by the “relentless” sound of vehicles being dismantled and crushed, which is also causing horses to buck and risk throwing their riders.
The Environment Agency (EA) has revoked the operating licence of the recycling centre in Birchington, run by Reclamet, following years of complaints by neighbours.
The operator claims to be the county’s largest vehicle recycler, processing 20,000 “end-of-life” vehicles a year, while upholding “high environmental standards,” which has resulted in the company gaining industry awards.
But an EA investigation concluded that the issue of noise and vibration is so severe that no appropriate measures could be introduced to effectively minimise the disturbance coming from the site in Woodchurch Road.
Now Reclamet bosses are appealing the decision and will present their case to the Planning Inspectorate at a public inquiry next week.
Papers submitted ahead of the hearing next Wednesday (May 20) show they will argue that the EA’s noise assessment report is “flawed and unreliable”.
While the appeal hearing is pending, the company is able to continue operations.
But among those who will support the EA’s case is the neighbouring Nelson Park Riding Centre, where 42 horses are stabled and dozens of young people benefit from the facilities.
It is run by Graham and Sarah Catterall, who say there has been a livery on the site for 40 years.
Their issue is that what started out as a small-scale “one-man-band” plant has now grown into a huge, industrial operation where the noise problem has become increasingly worse, despite a previous abatement notice.
“It sometimes goes on for 10 hours a day and with industrial machinery and trucks, the noise of which spooks our horses and risks riders getting bucked.
“We have a lot of special needs and disabled children and adults coming here, so it’s become a huge worry for us.
“The daily noise also affects the instructors’ teaching when the clients can’t hear them and they have to shout, which again causes a health and safety issue.”
“We have a lot of special needs and disabled children and adults coming here, so it’s become a huge worry for us….”
For four years, the couple has kept time sheets and recordings, which they say support their complaint.
“It’s got so bad that I even had to take anti-depressants because it’s a constant worry,” Sarah told KentOnline.
In evidence papers published ahead of the hearing at the University of Kent, the EA says the level of noise pollution arising from the site is considered to be major.
The documents add this is causing both a “serious and widespread effect on human senses” and causing a major adverse effect on recreational activity.
“We believe that revocation of the permit is the only option available to us in order to fulfil the Noise Policy Statement for England (NPSE) to avoid significant adverse impacts on health and quality of life,” says the EA.
But in its appeal, noise environmental specialists for Reclamet have branded the EA stance as “draconian”.
Its submission to the inspector adds: “The evidence within the EA report is unreliable and its conclusions are insufficiently robust to justify the views expressed and the proposed enforcement action.”
Reclamet managing director Stuart Mann told KentOnline that the company would reserve further comment until the conclusion of the appeal hearing.
