Progress on concerns over factory

...but 18 complaints were made last month

A PARISH council believe they are ‘making progress’ in an ongoing issue with noise and dust coming from a Staffordshire Moorlands factory.

Major concerns have been made over many months regarding emissions from Lafarge Cement’s Cauldon Works near Waterhouses.

Late last year, more than 60 people joined a working action group following a steep rise in complaints and a public meeting was held at Calton Village Hall in November where residents from several villages spoke of their concerns.

Giving an update report at last week’s meeting of Waterhouses Parish Council, chairman of the newly formed action group, Steven Locke, said in January there had been another 18 complaints to the Environment Agency, who carried out a noise survey last month.

Councillor Locke said: “We have had a lot of meetings with Lafarge. The annual shut down was not what we expected, just the kiln was shut down.

“There were 18 complaints made to the Environment Agency in January.

“The EA also did a noise survey on the 26th and four issues were non compliant. The response was that with the kiln shut down they had to use trucks.

“They have got to deal with issues regarding the noise and dust. The group will identify matters that are causing a nuisance and then Lafarge said that they will look at it and deal with it.

“We are pleased that we are making progress and that the company has a genuine commitment.

“We have been encouraged and the company is to set up a new website. They will talk to the parish council before going live. We are also going forward with a liaison meeting. However, it is acknowledged that further improvements could be made, but I am happy that we will end up with a better relationship.

“The timescale is the frustration to get things done, as people want to sit in their gardens during the summer.”

Cauldon resident Brian Eyre, who was also present at the council meeting, said: “We are still getting noise day and night. After 11pm and at weekends it seems to double. It is a high pitched noise.

“The dust is horrendous at times and seems to be coming from the buildings.”

Councillor Bob Turner said they had found that there were a lot of emissions since the shut down.

He said: “The emissions stink and with the wind condition residents in Calton have had it.”

Mr Locke said: “There has been a lot of haze and it smells like plastic. There’s been a number of days when the emissions have been up. There’s also dust coming out of the silos which has been reported to the EA.”

Councillor John Goldstraw said the main thing now is that the company is listening and have shown their concern.

Chairman of the parish council, Councillor David Stone said: “This is a step forward, it is acknowledged that there is a problem, but the noise is still there.”