Epsom Council considers options after noise complaints from industrial site

The Chalk Pit is home to several businesses

A Surrey council is considering options to deal with complaints about noise levels at an industrial site.

Chalk Pit in College Road, Epsom, is home to several businesses, including skip hire, scaffolding and vehicle repair companies.

The report - due to be discussed by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council on Tuesday - follows a recent rise in complaints from nearby residents.

One proposal is to launch a further investigation costing £140,000.

The report to the environment committee said complaints about noise from machinery and vehicle movements increased significantly from 2021, resulting in an investigation in June 2022.

'An annoyance'

This concluded that the noise was an "annoyance" and had a "negative impact on the local amenity," but did not amount to a "statutory nuisance".

Noise complaints reduced in May last year, but rose again from September, which the council found was due to "one particular piece of machinery", so served an abatement notice.

The council said the noisiest construction will now take place inside a building, meaning it should be quieter.

Councillors are being asked to consider spending £140,000 from "limited council reserves" on a fresh investigation, which officers warn would have an impact on council resources.

The other options are to close the investigation altogether or keep the situation under review.

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