Staindrop garage faces fines over more noise complaints

“Surely if you have planning permission to do something, you can do it?”

This is the question being asked by the owners of Louis Smith Motors in Staindrop after being issued with a noise abatement order for a wood processing business on the site.

Despite operating for years, Brian and Julie Atkinson have been inundated by county council officers investigating a host of complaints from residents of the new housing estate that borders on their commercial yard.

Durham County Council says it will continue to work with the owners and neighbours to find a solution.

Following the latest complaint, a noise abatement order was issued by an environmental health officer from Durham County Council.

Failure to comply with the order from November 1 could lead to an unlimited fine as well as an extra minimum fine of £500 for every day the offence continues.

Ironically, county planners had recommended that the planning application for the estate be refused, precisely because they believed there would be complaints.

This was overturned by the county council’s south and west planning committee which gave consent.

A planning enforcement officer visited the yard in April this year and found no problem.

In an email he wrote: “The use of the site for the processing of wood falls within the same use class as the garage business.

“In relation to a current planning enforcement enquiry, as there is no breach of planning control, this enquiry has been closed.”

Julie said: “It is classed that you can wood process, it is okay to wood process.

“How can the council say it is alright to wood process, and then it is other departments who come out complaining about the noise pollution and the light pollution.”

The firewood business is operated by the couple’s son, James Hardy, who began at age 11 by creating kindling to sell in the village.

His mum said: “I dropped him off from Ingleton Primary School to here and he would stay until Brian locked up on an evening.

“Him and his brother used to go around with a wheelbarrow selling the sticks in the winter.”

It was while attending Staindrop Academy that he upgraded his small business to process logs to make firewood.

The 20-year-old now works at the garage during weekdays and on Saturday mornings, and creates and delivers firewood after clocking off from work.

Julie added: “Everyone has admired him for that.

“Then you get this negativity from the housing estate.

“It really is a tragedy for a hard-working, grafting lad.”

Brian said he would appeal against the order because planning permission allows for log cutting.

Owen Cleugh, Durham County Council’s acting head of community protection, said: “We visited the site and found there was a need to serve a noise abatement notice.

“We will continue to work with the business and residents to assist in coming up with solutions that will be to the benefit of all parties.”