THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset FREE Issue 655 25th November 2020 Read by more than 40,000 people each week Anger at council over misery caused by Keynsham concrete factory There is anger and dismay at the way Keynsham firm One fence will be 3.5 metres high on a part of the yard 4Concrete has been allowed to turn a site next to the boundary and a 6m fence will surround a parking area town’s conservation area into heavy industrial use, opposite the entrance on the southern boundary. causing misery for nearby residents and an extra 500 There were 40 objections to the plans for the new fencing HGV movements a week along an already busy road. and to allow a 6.30am start and 6.30pm finish from 4Concrete, which took over a lease at Old Station Yard in Monday to Friday. Planning conditions attached to a Avon Mill Lane from Hanson in 2019, has just been granted historic permission have restricted weekday working hours permission by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s to 7.30am-5.30pm. Planning Committee to extend working hours on a one-year Nearby residents say they were denied the chance to trial basis once new acoustic barriers are installed to comment on 4Concrete’s original, retrospective planning reduce the noise being suffered by people living close by application for two silos last December. who are also worried about the effect of the dust on their health. Continued on page 3 Also in this Barclays to close More mobile COVID-19 Oldland school fence Keynsham tree felled Keynsham branch test sites damaged again despite reprieve attempt week’s issue . page 4 . page 5 . page 9 . page 11 2 The Week in • Wednesday 25th November 2020 Anger at council over misery caused by Keynsham concrete factory Continued from page 1 without planning permission; however, B&NES granted it At the time Keynsham Town Council supported the retrospectively against the whole background of the site application and there were just two objectors who raised which was light industrial. B&NES now classifies the site as concerns about the health risks from airborne cement dust B2 though no application has ever been received. No and noise, and the visual impact of the silos. B&NES certificate of lawful use has ever been applied for or issued. approved the application, with planning officers saying that There was no consultation with residents. Until 4Concrete’s the silos replaced two previous ones and would not create arrival, the only B2 use on site was a temporary one working airborne pollution. inside a building with the doors shut. 4Concrete only has The town council is now “frankly appalled” at what is 30% of the site yet now the whole site is classed as B2.” happening at the site, vice chair Clive Fricker told B&NES He added: “It’s time to stand back and ask the fundamental Council planning officer Christopher Griggs-Trevarthen told Planning Committee: “The current occupant of this central question as to whether 4Concrete or any other B2 business the meeting that the proposed condition restricting the extra Keynsham site operating as a cement depot is totally should use this site. No consideration was given to the two working hours a day to a year initially is a “belt and unsuitable. It is adjacent to a conservation area and a number increase in HGVs on the access road. This was an already braces approach” so that once the acoustic fencing is in place, of established residents. The access to the area for HGV very busy minor road and has a 7.5-ton weight limit on it. 4Concrete can prove it can achieve the lower noise levels it cement vehicles is again extremely unsuitable.” Now there are an extra 500 additional HGV vehicles per has said it will. He said the previous occupancy involved a mason’s yard and week. His colleague Sarah James told the committee that it is “a production activity had taken place within a building, “Noise starts very early even on Sunday mornings and goes complicated site with a long history”. She stressed that suppressing any noise: “The site has always been regarded on late into the evenings. I fear for the mental health of these councillors were not considering an application for a change as a B1 light industrial site or a warehousing site and we residents. Their lives have been blighted. We have a duty of of use but for an extension of hours and acoustic fences: “You regard any attempt to now call it a B2 (heavy industrial) site care.” are not actually considering today whether the use is a B1 or is totally inappropriate. Bill Heslop, speaking on behalf of residents, said 4Concrete’s a B2, you are considering the application before you. That “Excessive noise at all times, cement dust, blocked drains operations had sparked complaints about noise, dust, traffic said, it is clear that the applicant has been invited to put a and the impact of heavy goods vehicles containing cement and fumes. certificate of lawful existing use or development and they has really caused a complete reduction of wellbeing for He said: “During planning approval to erect the two silos haven’t. We can’t insist they do.” residents in the area. Residents have called upon B&NES which allowed the operation to commence, only one She said she could ask the council’s planning enforcement environmental staff and the police to enforce even current household was notified, meaning that many other local manager to bring a report to a future meeting to explore the restrictions on operations.” residents were denied the opportunity to present objections. use in greater detail. There is a 7.5-ton weight limit (apart from loading) on Avon 4Concrete violates the council-imposed restrictions to 4Concrete did not apply to change Saturday working hours Mill Lane and around 50 homes are close by and a nursing operating hours on an almost daily basis. Based on their track of 8am-1pm. No working on a Sunday is allowed under the home. Andy Wait, who represents Keynsham East, told last record there can be no expectation that the conditions offered historic permission but it is permitted on bank holidays; Wednesday’s planning meeting that there have been in this planning application would be followed.” however, the committee said that the amended hours should “countless” breaches of planning conditions. He pointed out that Avon Mill Lane is next to children’s parks not apply to bank holidays. “Two silos for the manufacture of concrete were erected and is the only access road for the site and homes in the area. The Week In has asked 4Concrete to comment on the He said the extra 90+ HGVS a day frequently and concerns raised and whether the fence is likely to be installed, dangerously block the road and mount the only available considering its agent’s comments. Serious collision pavement. Regarding the proposed acoustic barriers, residents have in Fishponds concerns that they won’t be effective. Mr Heslop said the noise impact carried out on behalf of 4Concrete was flawed, A pedestrian was left with a life-threatening injury after with some “highly noisy” activities not measured by the a collision with a car in Fishponds last Friday. initial assessment. Residents are also concerned that At about 5.15pm a dark grey estate vehicle was involved 4Concrete has violated its statutory environmental permit in a collision with a 53-year-old man, who was crossing and continues to do so. Forest Road, near the junction with Lodge Causeway. He added that no environmental impact assessment has ever The man was carrying a two-year-old boy at the time. been carried out to consider the effect on Keynsham of heavy The boy suffered minor injuries but the man was found industrial traffic and air pollution and the resulting noise, dust to have suffered a significant head injury, described by and air pollution on people living nearby. police as life-threatening. Daniel Millward, representing 4Concrete, argued that the The police issued an appeal for the driver to contact noise impact assessment showed that noise issues will be them as well as for witnesses to come forward. successfully mitigated by the fencing so there should be no Det Insp James Wasiak said the driver did initially stop need for making permission temporary and reviewing it after at the scene, but the extent of the injury to the man may a year: “The installation of the fence will cost in the region not have been apparent at the time. of £80,000 which is unlikely to be financed with such a Anyone with information can call 101 and give the call condition in place. In short the imposition of such a condition handler the reference number 5220262327. would almost certainly force the business to fail.” The Week in • Wednesday 25th November 2020 3 Barclays announces closure of Keynsham branch Barclays has announced to bank have increased by that it is closing its 11% since 2015. In the past Keynsham branch on 24th 12 months, 29% of the February. branch’s customers have The banking giant has told been using nearby branches. customers that it is never an Only 34 customers use the easy decision to close a branch exclusively for their branch. Although the banking. number of counter Barclays, which made the transactions at the bank in announcement on Friday, Keynsham High Street has advises that there are many gone up in the previous 24 other ways customers can months, 84% of customers still bank in the local at the branch also use community including nearby other ways to do their Barclays branches, cash banking, such as online and machines and Post Offices.