‘FRIGHTENING’ NOISE AS FORMER HOSPITAL TORN DOWN FOR HOMES Trust ‘keeping disruption to minimum’
FAMILIES have complained after their houses were shaken by demolition works.
Work to bring down the former North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary site – nine years after patients were last treated there – began in January.
University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust has secured £9.4million in funding to clear the site before bosses attempt to sell it for housing. Only the main entrance and Windsor House will remain.
The site already has planning permission for up to 236 houses as well as room for community facilities and retail.
But residents living in nearby Queens Road, Hartshill, say the works are causing dust, dirt and excessive noise from morning to evening.
Roger Evans, a Hartshill resident of more than 30 years, has complained to the UHNM Trust.
The 78-year-old said: “This is the 10th week now, people must be suffering. There’s a lot of workers around here on night shifts.
“It’s been frightening, when they started with the impacter to break up the concrete, it shakes the houses. Our houses are quite big but they’re old.
“They’ve put a chain-link fence all around the site. I think they should have used a wooden structure about eight feet high to keep the noise down and the contamination out.
“There’s dust and dirt going everywhere. They’ve started spraying it with water now after I complained to the hospital.
“We had to go out of the house on Friday as it was shaking so much.”
A spokesperson for the Trust said: “We are currently carrying out the necessary demolition work on the site of the old Royal Infirmary to prepare it for a major transformation and improvement project in this part of the city.
“This will see the building of more than 200 much needed new homes and the development of public green space along with community and retail space.
“We have been in close contact with local residents as the demolition has proceeded, not least through local councillors, residents associations, social media and our old Royal Infirmary information website.
“We have been grateful for the support this project has received from local people and we are seeking to keep demolition disruption to a minimum. This includes limiting the period when the noise associated with breaking up the massive foundation slabs takes place.
“To minimise disruption the mechanical breaking of the slabs will only take place where possible one hour at a time, followed by a suitable break. The works close to residential housing is due to be completed by the end of April.
“We would like to assure local residents and assure them that everything possible will be done to keep noise to a minimum.”