Row over noise level move at waterworks

INCENSED residents in Tintagel and Trevalga have accused South West Water of trying to sneak through increases to noise levels at sewage works in a tranquil hamlet.

The company has applied to increase the levels of permitted noise at the boundaries of the sewage works and pumping stations – despite the original consent being granted with strict noise restrictions.

The sewage works are being built in the hamlet of Trevalga and the pumping stations at Boscastle, Bossiney and Tintagel.

The original application was fiercely opposed and now parish councils have united to reject the latest proposals which they claim would bring significant increases in noise.

Significant

When consent was granted planners said the decibel level permitted at the boundary of the sewage works was 35db at night and 50db during the day. SW Water now wants it to be 59db for 24 hours a day.

Dr Chris Jarvis, a Boscastle councillor said: "We have liaison group meetings with SW Water regularly. But three weeks ago we learned of this new application. It would mean a significant increase in noise.

"In layman's terms, 50 to 60 decibels is the noise you'd experience inside a car. Sixty to 70 decibels is the noise on a high street, 30 to 40 decibels in a living room in daytime.

"SW Water has kept quiet about this until the last minute. I think they wanted to sneak it through."

Tintagel councillor David Hodge is critical of the report by SW Water. He said: "They seem to have no knowledge of the noise frequency, whether it is high or low – an analogy would be between the power of shortwave radio which travels a short distance or long wave which travels great distances. Weather conditions should also be included. SW Water has been unable to tell us what conditions were during the tests. There are big question marks over their figures."

SW Water says its application doesn't involve any material change.

A spokesman said: "Noise levels are set to protect the nearest residential properties.

"The conditions stated that measurements would be at site boundaries. The noise levels were not recalculated to account for the substantial reduction in noise achieved with distance. The variation seeks to redress this inaccuracy, not to alter stated noise levels. We believe this will have no material impact on residents."

A spokesman for Cornwall Council said: "Officers want to reassure the public that the current application isn't to raise noise levels heard by residential properties but to adjust permitted levels to reflect that they would be monitored at the site boundary."