Bristol tip's early start 'won't harm neighbours' - council

Staff at the Hartcliffe Household Re-use and Recycling Centre will start work earlier on weekdays

Residents living near a recycling centre have been told they will not be disturbed by its new early start.

Staff at the Hartcliffe Way Reuse and Recycling Centre in south Bristol can now start working at 06:00 GMT during weekdays.

Council officers have promised noise levels "won't harm neighbours".

Some people living near the recycling centre had previously raised fears about the early start.

The recycling centre was given permission for the earlier hours at a meeting of Bristol City Council's development control B committee on Wednesday.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the work would be restricted to less noisy activities, like getting street cleansing vehicles ready for the day.

Some skips will also be emptied, but these will only be less noisy materials like green waste, black bag waste and wood.

More noisy operations, like moving metal, will only start after 08:00 GMT, according to a council planning officer.

A few residents had objected to the plans with concerns they could be woken up early.

A council planning officer said: "Overall the pollution control officer is happy that while there might be audible noises during those hours, it's not going to be of a level that is harmful to residents.

"In order to ensure that the public aren't harmed by any noises during those more sensitive times, we asked the applicant to set out a noise management plan, which they did."

Neighbours previously said they could hear noise from the recycling centre already, particularly in the summer when windows were left open due to the heat.

But councillors said the restrictions in the noise management plan should prevent any excessively loud work from taking place early in the morning.

Conservative councillor Richard Eddy said: "The recycling centre abuts my ward and I live 600 yards away.

"I've had zero noise complaints and no contact about this consultation, so I'm comfortable with it."