Staindrop business under threat thanks to new neighbours

A long-standing Staindrop business is under threat after complaints from new housing estate built next to it.

Louis Smith Motors has been subject to a number of visits by county officers because of complaints about noise and security lights.

Ironically, county planners had recommended a proposal for the housing estate be refused precisely because they expected complaints, but Durham County Council’s south and west planning committee gave it the thumbs up in 2018.

The MOT and mechanics shop moved to Staindrop from Barnard Castle in 1999.

Brian and Julie Atkinson took over running the business from John Stannix in 2012.

The business was visited twice by officers from different council departments this month.

There have also been complaints about a wall of tyres that the family put in place years ago to keep their pet dog from escaping through the fence.

Brian said: “They (people on the new estate) have made my life a misery to be honest with you.

“We had a lady out from the county yesterday. We had a different department out today. One was noise and the other one was about the tyres.

“The lady from the council said, no matter whose land the tyres are on, it is my responsibility to get rid of them. I said it is my land, my tyres, what’s the problem?

“She has given me a month to get rid of them.”

The tyres cannot be seen by the homes that back onto the commercial yard because of a fence put up by the developers.

Brian said he explained to the officer that trees that had grown through the tyres may have to be cut down, to which she replied it would first have to be established if a preservation order existed on any of them.

Brian said: “This is what I am dealing with”.

Some of the noise complaints are about an air compressor.

The businessman said: “I told them if it drops down to 50psi then it pumps up to 150psi and then it stops. That will run for a minute-and-a-half, then it will stop.

“It kicks in every hour maybe if we are using air tools.”

The compressor creates less noise than vehicles that operate in the commercial yard.

There is also complaint about noise coming from their son James’ firewood business which he started as a 13-year-old.

Brian said: “When he was a kid he would come back from school and chop his kindling sticks. Then putting it in a barrow, on winter nights, pushing it round Staindrop knocking on doors asking people if they wanted to buy some kindling sticks.

“They are saying James can’t use his chainsaw on a Saturday afternoon making a noise.

“He is using the chainsaw and the log splitter for a couple of hours, because he works for me on Saturday mornings.”

Julie added: “As a mam it is so frustrating. He has a good work ethic. He’s been in the cold winter nights selling sticks, then it progressed to the logs and he has done it for years. Now because of the situation going on it is going to take his little livelihood away.

“I said it is no different the sound to a lawnmower, and she [county officer] said a lawnmower wouldn’t be going for an hour at a time.”

“Brian is getting the stress and it impacts us all because it is a family-run business.”

The family have moved the log-chopping equipment into a corner as far as possible from the homes to minimise the impact.

The family have received support from others on the village’s social media page, and have described those from the new estate as incomers.

One resident said: “It’s time our village came together on this, and stand by our garage which has been here a hell of a lot longer than the incomers.

“People moving into this village and putting complaints in about one thing and another, when this facility has been here longer than they would care to know about.

“And quite frankly a lot of us in the village are sick to death of it. If you’re going to move here, stop trying to change everything and put in complaints to the council. It’s not on.”

Another said: “It’s like moving next to a farm then complaining there’s sheep or cows. Brian and the gang are lovely hard working people.”

Louis Smith Motors is well known within the community for its support for, and sponsorship of, local events and raffles, particularly the village’s annual carnival.

Owen Cleugh, Durham County Council’s safer places manager, said: “We have received complaints in relation to nuisance associated with local businesses.

“We have visited the site and are working with the businesses and residents to identify a solution.”