Night-time noise in Pengam from Steelworks
Reported by Michelle Gardiner at 22:55, Wed 28 October 2009; the map was not used so pin location may be inaccurate
Sent to Cardiff Council 4 minutes later
I was relieved to see a post from a nearby resident recently, as the Envionment Agency have been telling me that I am the only person who complains about the night-time noise emitted by the Steelworks. This problem has been affecting me since moving here in 2006. I feel that I am 'fobbed off' by the E.A., who are paid (by us the taxpayer) to regulate this unacceptable level of noise. They, of course, SAY that they take my complaints seriously, but are very slow to actually ACT. I telephone the Wales E.A line (02920 466422) every night that it disturbs me, which is most nights, but it has come to nothing. The E.A.'s response (letters about what they are doing about it) seems largely tokenistic, and seems to be of a 'stalling' nature. It is widely reognised that prolonged sleep disturbance can have serious consequences to one's mental AND physical health, and I urge anyone who is affected by the noise to complain, using the above number. I have been made to feel as if I am the only person who's affected, but I find it hard to believe, as the noise is so disruptive. But I understand that this might suit the E.A., because if I believe that no-one else finds the nosie at night bothersome, I might eventually give up! Collective action is always more effective that individual action. This level of noise in a residential area is totally unacceptable. I have a job that involves a lot of driving (with children), and my son is doing GCSE's, possibly the most important year of his life. It is not unreasonable to expect to carry these out on a decent night's sleep, and in my case, it is downright dangerous NOT to have a decent's night's sleep. Council, it's time to stop seeing money as your priority, and to start recognising the basic human rights of the people who voted you in, and pay your wages. Sort it out, for goodness sake!
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Updates
Thank you for your email. I have been liaising with a couple of officers here regarding your complaint, but unfortunately this is an issue for the "Environment Agency" to look into. I do apologise that we're unable to assist you regarding this matter.
I have posted a detailed letter to local councillors and will repeat to local MP etc. I have also reposted messages on this site to update my now dead end position + i am moving out due to lots of problems in this area.
UPDATE:
I have now had lengthy email dialogue with 2 local AM's and the local councillor Mr Cox. If the person who has made the comments here wishes to see what has been said, is to be done and more news - please send me an email or post your email on here.
I have given detailed complaint details to them all + new letter to police, EA and Cardiff Council about Mopeds/youths behaviour, sewage plant smell, noise from steel works, gypsy site issues, smashed bus shelter (repeated instances), graffiti on Hind Close road name sign.
So far the ministers have fired of official letters to all the authorities asking for updates and answers on all my points. The first response I had from the local councillor suggested I may want to challenge my house surveyor as it would be expected that I would suffer from noise and smells being close to an industrial area and as the vacant land next to us is for sale and more units will be built - it will get worse + new road link due to be completed will bring more traffic. My response simply said that I had been made aware of some noise as its obvious to expect "some" but the smell and noise we put up with is above and beyond fair and reasonable. It has gone on for years as people are stalling, and that it must be illegal to act in this way and continue with the issues.
I suspect it’s all money related as these sites create an income to the council and others through tax and land rents/purchasing + they have deep pockets to fend of legal action/enforcement + council may not want to fall out with them or spend money on taking action. This goes for the EA as well. They all seem helpless and powerless.
I also said it was unfair to expect residents to co-ordinate action as many more people moving/living in our area speak limited English and may not be as capable to complain. Also, this is not a new issue and has been raised before, so why do we still have to fight and see no action. I made it clear that it’s EA, Council or a company's duty to inform/communicate to all residents what is happening as we are in the dark and see no progress.
The whole area has so many issues now that it will take a comprehensive set of actions over a prolonged period, to make any difference. Had it all be tackled sooner in a pro active manner, it would not have got so bad. It’s turning into a Bute Town, Grange Town area (I mean it looks messy, intimidating, and hard to sell a house in the area/ not a popular place to live).
I think the EA and others need to work together and survey the issue using sound monitors and witness the issue (noise/smell) first hand - instead of making residents do all the leg work and then still not acting or communicating action.
I still have had no response to 2 emails to the police and I have not been able to get anyone to pick up on the Emergency 101 police number. They have asked residents to attend local PACT meetings. I did and it’s dominated by Splott/Tremorfa issues + a PCSO being aware + walking about is not going to help as needs more than that.
On the issue of the waste plant and smell – they allegedly did spend some money (welsh water) on something to reduce the issue. This is the issue of intermittent odour that’s only describable as like dry dog food/sewage. It’s that constant putrid smell that randomly appears. They are thinking of a massive £1m investment to sort but as you can imagine, they are resisting and may be a year off yet. EA told me that even if they took action to shut it down, they could appeal, stall, fight and win.
On both noise and smell – I say if they cannot / have not fixed or substantially reduced by now – they need to be fined or shut down or forced to reduce operating hours. If noise was only 7am – 7pm (that seems fair) then it would be fine. But as electricity is cheap at night and the Steel works requires vast amounts of power to operate – night time is the most cost effective time to work + it’s when the power consumption in Cardiff area is lowest (We all turn off most appliances or are at home not work).
The gypsy issue is getting worse as I have spotted the known campsite just down from Tesco which is where I recently passed an accident where a full grown horse laid on the main road on its back – dead. It was not tied up and was hit by a car. I also see the residents of said site harassing Tesco staff and I know the security team in store have to be on guard all the time due to their behaviours. I also have seen their horses on the lane near our house and on gardens or roundabouts. Worse still, I have spotted a new camp on the lanes leading out over to St Brides (v nearby) and they are building (legally or illegally) a new camp next door to it. Things are not improving, and not being communicated to local residents who may wish to oppose or seek action/answers.
I am due to move out in December, so in some ways have little to fear or worry over – but the principles of the matters annoy me and am happy to finish what I have started. The council seem to have no authority over most points raised as it all site under the EA and Police. But maybe the gypsy camps will be more for them to look into.
I plan to wait for further emails or letters – and should I get any interesting responses, I will try to communicate them on here or on other channel. If I get no action or a poor response, I am able through contacts and my job connections (media) to push this one to local press and TV news + others who can push it up the agenda so it is more high profile. Publicity of this kind is never one a council, company or authority want to have and will force them to either act or answer questions as otherwise they will look weak or unreasonable. I will also start to set up groups and messages on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other related sites including web forums that are popular.
Hope this updates all living nearby on where things are and that it’s not just one persons problem or one person suffering - the whole area is but some are more vocal and/able to express their feeling on the situation. Just because no one has complained, does not mean the situation is not a problem or that it does not exist.
The most recent letter sent to WAG/Council etc on the noise issue. Response i sent talks about other issues as well.
---------------------------- Thank you for this You will see i have copied you into a response to the letter on the Gypsy sites locally. I have had limited useful conversations by telephone with the council on the smells issues at Welsh water sewage site. The coversation went along the lines of how they need to smell the smell to progress. I explained that i only smell the smell then i am home (Weekends, evenings). They are not able to work these hours and thus will never witness it. I did ask that if they smelt it in situ as proof, what would that allow them to do that they cant currently do. The response was a very honest but unhelpful "not much". He advised they had spent money on improvements, but i said that this had not worked and the rumours of them moving or making further investments to sort the issue had been long overdue and not progressed. And as with all the issues, the lack of communication about the issue and how it is being tackled or is known has been lacking. I do feel its an issue that immediate residents should be communicated on in some way, as this then reassures and reduces the need for these type of emails and time out to investigate by time pressed residents. So, it has been left that issue known and he can do no more and that no new dates for improvements or moving out by Welsh Water are known. So you can see why it feels like little progress is / has been made. But i thank you for your continued involvement. As for the outstanding issues on road surface, graffiti and steel work noise - Road surface team due to visit site to consider if they view it as an issue (no time or date given nor guarantee of action) Graffiti team due to clean road sign this week - no change yet Steel work noise is all for the EA to look into but no news on sound monitoring being installed locally to conclusively proof the issue for action to be taken or sped up. Surely this would be the quickest, easiest and fairest way to proceed? As opposed to calling them each night and them being able to bat back our personal subjective evidence of noise. The bus shelter is still in one piece but it would be good to see if they agree that replacing with a non-glass sheet is best given the cost of regular repair from vandalism. I have not recieved any responses from the local police, and since i have previously written emails to them and called them with no response, i am not expecting much this time. This then only leaves the issues of mopeds being riden on pavements and down backlanes at night and all weekend (even when a race track set up for these bikes exists so near by). This issue will reduce due to winter weather and low light, but am sure it will return in full effect come Spring. The website www.fixmystreet.com neatly holds/summarises these issues with maps and updates by me and others in the area on postcode CF24 2EF. I will keep the WAG contacts updated and hope for further comms from the police, council, EA and yourself in due course. With thanks once more PS - Mr Curtis - I will forward the emails i have received on the issues of gypsy travellers and smells from sewage plant. It would be good to know what residents do about the issues of industrial noise/pollution (smell etc) in Pengam - as although it should be expected given location - the level and timing (lots and often - inc all night and weekends) of these issues is beyond reasonable expectations and is not what mr fair and average would consider to be the norm or acceptable for such an area.
Environment Agency are meant to be regulating the noise coming from the Steelworks . . . bottom line is, THEY'RE NOT. Because of my persistence they put monitoring equipment in my house earlier this year, and as a result they, and CELSA, had to acknowledge that the noise is of a level that would disturb sleep at night. They gave CELSA until the end of August 2009 to come up with a plan to reduce the noise at night, but allowed them to carry on meanwhile. The'plan' was of course late, and that plan was, wait for it, to look at ways to reduce the noise! There seems to be no incentive to come up with a proper plan as they are allowed to continue as normal. I continue to telephone the EA number to complain, but lets face it, nothing will probably get done. The EA are a joke . . . noise IS a form of pollution, especcially when it affects sleep. When are the EA actually going to DO their job, rather than just soft-soap residents, and get paid for sitting on their backsides?! Probably never! An utter joke!
Michelle. Email me at navarram1@aol.com as had letter from ea today. Can send u a copy. I am moving out of this area next week so can fill u in?
UPDATE:
Had letter from EA on Celsa plant. Will post letter after this update.
Of more interest and major concern is this news from Welsh Assembly website posted only 3 weeks ago...
Statement of information
The Welsh Assembly Government owns land extending to approximately 59 acres at Pengam Green in Cardiff. An adjoining user, Celsa Manufacturing UK Ltd wish to acquire approximately 51 acres of this landholding to facilitate potential future investment in steel making operations in Cardiff.(the remaining landholdings of the Welsh Assembly Government in the area are required for a strategic transport proposal led by Cardiff Council).
In September 2007, the Deputy First Minister agreed that the Welsh Assembly Government should negotiate to sell land at Pengam Green to Celsa in view of Celsa’s substantial investment to date in the Cardiff Plant amounting to some £150 million resulting in the creation of 800 jobs, and the need to protect the potential for future expansion of steel making operations from its existing constrained site. If agreed by the Deputy First Minister a further period of negotiation is required to conclude an agreement.
Appropriate clauses will be introduced in the disposal documentation (assuming the Option is exercised) to ensure that the Welsh Assembly Government has a first option to buy the land back at market value in the event of Celsa going into liquidation, wishing to sell to a third party or declaring the land surplus to their requirements.
Disposal of the site would be effected pursuant to the powers of the Welsh Ministers under section 1 of the Welsh Development Agency Act 1975 and section 60(1)(a) of the Government of Wales Act 2006.
So - its going to get worse - the site will be closer, bigger and far noisier!!
This was buried on WAG pages and we as residents are not in the loop at all. Its clear to see WAG see Celsa as v important due to money/investments, so our powers are limited and drowned out by Celsa who can flex muscle by shouting about money its pumping into economy...
LETTER FROM EA ON CELSA LAST WEEK:
Dear Mr Davies
I refer to your letter to Cardiff City Council dated 10 November 2009 (Your ref. AD/GC), which was forwarded to our office, concerning odours from the Welsh Water Sewage Plant at Pengam Green, noise pollution from Celsa steelworks and moped riding. Regarding these issues of concern I confirm that the Environment Agency (EA) has responsibility for regulation of the Celsa Steelworks which is the most likely source of local noise pollution.
Celsa Manufacturing UK Ltd. commissioned a new scrap melting facility in 2005/6 and over the past two years we have seen an increase in the number of complaints related to impulse noises, particularly banging and crashing due to the handling of scrap melting and loading of the Electric Arc Furnace.' As a direct result of these complaints we have undertaken noise monitoring in the vicinity of Lysander Court and in one instance inside a complainant's property. The data confirmed that noise can be at levels that is likely to attract complaints. Celsa have also completed their own noise survey and more recently, at the direct request of the EA, a detailed noise modelling exercise. The purpose of this was to develop a model that accurately predicts noise impact in the local community and enable assessment of a range of noise abatement options.
Following the EA's review of this work we now require Celsa to improve the accuracy of the model, quantify the beneficial affects of different noise abatement options and provide costs for the implementation of the preferred approaches. This work is complicated and it is important to ensure that money is spent where the greatest improvement is realised. So, at this stage a definitive date for completion of the work has not yet been agreed, pending the technical and financial evaluation.
Celsa have to date adopted a responsible attitude to the problem and are working constructively with the EA. All complaints that the EA receives are forwarded to Celsa so they remain aware of the level of concern in the local community. They have operating procedures in place that are designed to minimise noise and checks are carried out to ensure these are adhered to. They also restrict the unloading of scrap from road lorries to the hours of 0600h to 2200h to reduce night time impact. However, as the process operates on a 24h basis, metal handling is normally always in progress.
When noise issues were a concern at Celsa's Rod and Bar Mill in 2008 they spent £100 000 to install mitigation measures which resulted in significant noise reduction.
Since then no complaints have been directed at the Rod and Bar Mill. While the issue at the New Melt Shop is more complicated and the noises generated greater, we expect Celsa to identify options that will lead to significant improvements.
Unfortunately, such work can not be completed quickly and may require several different approaches. Complainants have been advised of this. However, we fully appreciate that excessive noise can be very intrusive and lead to significant disturbance. The issue is therefore being treated very seriously by the Pollution Prevention and Control Team and we will continue to work to improve the situation. I trust this provides you with the necessary reassurance that the issue is being dealt with effectively and will improve.
Yours sincerely, GRAHAM HILLIER
South East Wales Area Manager Direct line: 029 20245270 Direct fax 029 20 369810 E-mail: Graham.hillier@environment-agency.gov.uk
LETTER TO WAG and COUNCIL ON THE NEWS OF LAND PURCHASE BY CELSA NEXT TO PENGAM GREEN (COPYING IN LOCAL COUNCILLOR)
Mr Curtis
Apologies for emailing again so soon after our last dialogue. I read the letter from the EA and was calmed to a small degree that things were being looked at or considered. However, since the last email i have spoken with another resident who has had the noise measurement system installed. She has had several letter from the EA that have read almost identical to mine. She has been pushing on this issue for a long period of time and no change or improvements have occurred.
We both feel that this is now being stalled or not progressed with any real hurry as the clear income to Cardiff Council and others at WAG may be a significant factor to any action that could be taken against Celsa. How long do they get given and locals have to suffer with broken sleep and upset. Its not fair and i am at the stage where with my contacts in Week in Week out (BBC) + other PR/Media colleagues - will feel we have no other option but to make this public and shame Celsa, WAG or the council into action. Enough is enough.
Worse still - I spotted this today buried on the WAG website on 9th Nov 2009 and not one of us next door to the site in Pengam were made aware of this. Its almost like its being smuggled in/by WAG/CELSA/COUNCIL? -
(WAG ANNOUNCEMENT ABOVE RE LAND PURCHASE WAS PLACED HERE IN LETTER)
What is going on? If this actually goes ahead, the site and all its problems will go from being a field away with major impacts on locals, to being in our back yard. House values will also be impacted.
Can you shed some light on all this and steer me to what our options are and why this is not being communicated to residents. Also, how can i/we pressure Celsa and others like the EA to force change or action as no improvement over an long lead time.
I am not sure of your role and how it fits in with my issues as clearly if you form part of WAG, the information you can supply or support may impinge on your duties within the assembly.
I look forward to your email and in the meantime i am looking into the options to publicise this whole mess that EA, Celsa, WAG and Cardiff Council seem to be aware of, working together on with little success for the residents who are at the sites mercy. I have continued to copy all letters by EA and council onto the fixmystreet.com site to start keeping a public record of all that has been said by the authorities on this issue.
Kind regards and thanks for you assistance so far.
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