Keynsham concrete firm wins planning appeal

KEYNSHAM firm 4Concrete has won an appeal to keep its extended weekday working hours.

A planning inspector ruled this would not have an “unacceptable” impact on people living nearby.

Bath & North East Somerset Council had allowed the company to start weekday operations at 6.30am instead of 7.30am and finish at 6.30pm instead of 5.30pm for 12 months, to see if acoustic barriers were effective in reducing the noise.

The trial at the site at Old Station Yard, Avon Mill Lane, ended in August 2024, after which the firm asked the council for permission to keep the longer hours in place. But the council refused after complaints from nearby residents, who said noise limits were breached frequently and consistently throughout the year-long trial.

The firm appealed to the Secretary of State to try to get the council’s refusal overturned, and a planning inspector has decided in its favour. The inspector said an amended site management plan has reduced the number of concrete mixing vehicles that can be filled and leave the site between 6.30am and 7.30am, as well as the maximum number of vehicles operating at any one time.

Only wet concrete mix can be prepared during the extended hours, which the inspector said is “demonstrably quieter than dry mixes.”

Jackhammering to remove hardened concrete is now carried out behind the main building, which further reduces the noise.

The inspector said that interested parties have raised concerns about highway safety, including congestion, vehicles parked outside obstructing pedestrians and restricting visibility, and aggregate and cement being spilled on the road.

But the inspector added: “These matters are not raised by the council, and I have seen little substantive evidence to show that there would be unacceptable harm in these respects arising directly from the proposed extended hours.”

During a site visit, the inspector did not observe any significant dust issues and saw no evidence that the extended working hours would be detrimental in this respect.

Regarding the history of complaints from nearby residents, the inspector said there is nothing to stop the council from enforcing any breaches of planning control or from pursuing action under legislation such as the Environmental Protection Act.

Although it was recognised that neighbours could be affected by the outcome of the appeal, the decision to allow it was proportionate.

The inspector said: “The proposal would not result in an unacceptable impact on the living conditions of local residents.”