THURROCK Council has sung the praises of a scrap firm in Grays – saying it sets an excellent example of how to be a better neighbour – despite a barrage of complaints from residents who say their lives continue to be blighted.

And they have highlighted that the authority has 'long term ambitions' 'to consider the future of locations like Grays' Globe Works industrial estate where residents are upset and that where 'realistic lift and shift opportunities exist', the council will explore the the potential to move industry and businesses to new and more environmentally friendly sites.

The conflict of opinion between resident and council has arisen on the Globe estate where the site of Benfleet Scrap has been a particular cause of concern – particularly since they installed a huge crushing machine.

Upset and angry residents called in Thurrock Nub News recently to experience the levels of noise at the site – and the impact of other businesses including haulage companies on the quality of their lives. They provided us with a film showing the level of noise from their industrial neighbours.

They say they have had little support in combating noise problems from, the council, ward councillors and the Environment Agency, who have been identified by Thurrock Council as the enforcement body for any possible breaches of noise regulations.

A spokesperson for the residents told Nub News this is not anything new, we know that there are always going to be noise and other issues because of the proximity of houses and an industrial site but over recent years things seem to have got worse rather than any better, despite all the promises we receive about enforcement and monitoring.

"And the arrival of the scrap crusher at Benfleet Scrap's site has proved a big problem for us. At times it makes makes life inside our homes intolerable, never mind outside in the gardens. To be frank, you can't use the gardens at times.

"Things came to ahead recently when a much-loved local resident came home from hospital to spend her final days and hours with her family but she passed away to a constant background of almost unbearable noise. It was not the peaceful, dignified end that she deserved."

One of those ward councillors that residents feel are not doing enough is council leader Cllr Rob Gledhill, and he concedes that particularly under Covid restrictions which have seen many local people spending days and weeks in their homes rather than being able to leave and have a break is problematic.

He says: "I sympathise with residents who live adjacent to this long established industrial estate especially when for the last nine months many more may be stuck in their homes due Covid or due to ill health.

"It is disappointing that not all businesses based in Globe Works are as understanding as others, with some requests to be more understanding and respectful towards neighbours going unheeded."

However Cllr Gledhill believes that Benfleet Scrap are among the better occupants of the site and they have tried to engage with residents to improve the situation.

That was evidenced recently when residents were told that the company was planning, following a noise assessment programme, to initiate ways to reduce the noise from the site.

These are:

• Remove existing exhaust and tail pipe from the shear and replace with a new 6 inch critical silencer with a tailpipe pointing into the yard. The shear is the piece of machinery that compresses and cuts up the metal.
• Point up any existing gaps in the concrete wall with a sand and cement mixture and overlay the top two metres of the existing concrete wall with 6mm steel plate to the North, East and South of the shear.
• Extend the wall up a further two metres higher in 6mm steel plate to the North, East and South of the shear.

Residents were told these improvements will be done by the end of February.

That was backed up by an official statement from the council which says: "The noise assessment has been carried out by the owners of the scrapyard itself as an excellent example of how to be a better neighbour to those who live nearby. The council welcomes these proposed measures and hopefully they will help alleviate some of the problems experienced by neighbours.

"The council welcomes these proposed measures and hopefully they will help alleviate some of the problems experienced by neighbours."

Benfleet Scrap's general manager Adrian Wood told Nub News: "The site has been a metal recycling facility with the use of cranes and crushers since the 1960s. We take our environmental and community responsibilities very seriously and we are currently working with the Environment Agency to minimise any noise from the site."

The scrapyard's permit to operate is issued and regulated by the Environment Agency and not Thurrock Council which says when it receives complaints about the site residents are advised to register their concerns and issues with the Environment Agency's 24 hours hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

The council adds: "Thurrock Council continues to provide any relevant information it receives about the scrapyard to the EA to assist in their investigations. The Council does have powers in relation to the other sites within the estate and has taken action when a statutory nuisance has been found."

Cllr Gledhill told Thurrock Nub News: "This issue has been raised a number of times resulting in the need for over 80 interventions including noise monitoring or visits in the last 5 years.

"However, Thurrock Council is limited in the action it can take. The Environment Agency manages the permit for the scrap yard and the council is legally tied as to what it can do across the estate but is still investigating further legal options due to the level of concern.

"Unfortunately the very nature of the Globe Works means there will always be noise from the industrial, trade and commercial premises but that should be limited to noise from normal daily operations. However where evidence is received or complaints made that fall within Thurrock Council's remit these are investigated and monitored by Environmental Protection Officers both during and outside of normal working hours.

"It's vital that residents continue to report any noise nuisance complaints to the council using the online form or by calling our weekend night time out-of-hours reporting line as soon as they experience an issue. Where complaints relate to matters within our regulatory powers we do act and have delivered results for residents. Indeed the council is currently investigating another site of the estate which is causing disturbances to other residents.

"Thanks to residents raising concerns, our out of hours weekend noise team witnessed noise from an intruder alarm within the Globe Works that amounted to a statutory nuisance, an abatement notice was served and the business quickly complied with its requirements.

"The council has installed sound level meters in residents' property and our Environmental Protection Officers regularly attend the site to deal with complaints within our remit and take them seriously."

"As residents are aware, the council and Environment agency are continuing to work with the sites on the estate."

The council has historically borne the brunt of residents' concern about the Globe Works and in 2015 the council's actions and decisions following an extensive noise complaint investigation was referred to the Local Government Ombudsman which found in the council's favour and that there was no fault in the investigation or action taken.

Since then the council says has continued to monitor and act where it can.

More information about how to report noise nuisance complaints can be found on the Thurrock Council website at: https://www.thrrock.gov.uk/noise-nuisance/noise-complaints. The out of hours weekend complaints line is 07788 200 200 from 9pm until 2am on weekends and bank holidays.

About the Globe Works – a statement from Thurrock Council

• The Globe Works has developed incrementally since the late 19th century. Some of the older sites pre-date modern planning control and some of the more established sites, due to their age and use, are not covered by restrictive conditions relating to hours of operation.
• The council continues to investigate legal options but is however limited in the action it can take due to the nature of the operations undertaken on the site, the legislation which exists and the historic nature of established use rights of the site.
• Thurrock Council is engaging with the public on the preparation of a new Local Plan for Thurrock and as part of that work, it will be working with land owners, communities and developers to consider the future of locations like the Globe Industrial Estate. Where realistic 'lift and shift' opportunities exist, the Council will explore these through the Local Plan.