Westmead House Demolition Works – Environmental Health Inspector visits…

A message is just in from the Council’s Environmental Health Inspector…

Dear Cllr Whitehead

Environmental Protection Act 1990. Re: Complaints about Dust and Noise. Westmead House, 123 Westmead Road, Sutton SM1 4JH

Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding potential dust and noise nuisance arising from the construction/demolition works taking place at the above address.

I visited the site on Tuesday 18th March and spoke to Mr Freeman, the person in charge of the site at the time. At the time of my visit, no noisy works were taking place. The front of the building is still in place and the remaining walls are sheeted. These remaining walls provide some protection from dust and noise to the properties to the south of the site.

However, demolition has already taken place to the north of the site and the perimeter is only surrounded by temporary metal mesh fencing. I witnessed a workman on the site who was trying to dampen down dusty materials with water from a hose. However, I observed that dust from the area where demolition had taken place was being wind whipped and the direction of the wind was taking the dust towards Kingsley Avenue. I discussed the control of dust with Mr Freeman and asked why there was not solid hoarding around the site. Mr Freeman explained that solid hoarding is to be erected but that some demolition had to take place first in order to provide the space for hoarding. They are now in the process of erecting the hoarding but owing to the existing concrete foundations, this will take 7-10 days to complete. I appreciate that, during this period, there is the potential for dust to leave the site boundary. Therefore, it was agreed that they would:-

a)    Increase the amount of damping down of the dust with water;

b)    Carry out regular visual checks so that they respond promptly to changes in weather conditions;

c)     Phase the erection of hoarding so that those most at risk of being affected by dust are shielded first.

I have spoken to Mr Freeman again today who has informed me that they had tried to put up temporary sheeting on the metal barriers but this was increasing the risk of the barriers toppling over and thus there was a potential to cause injury. Therefore, he is meeting with the Managing Director today and will be discussing alternative options for temporary screening until more permanent hoarding can be erected.  I am satisfied that they are taking steps to control the noise and dust on site and we will be monitoring the situation. In the meantime, residents are reminded that to contact Environmental Health, they should ring the call centre number which is 020 8770 5000. 

I hope that the above answers your enquiry and hope that an improvement will soon be noticeable.

 Yours sincerely 

Dave Trew

Acting Pollution Team Leader

Sutton-20140308-00947

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