Dr Ann Pickering’s letter to the local paper (25 November 2009) aroused a ripple of support and a torrent of objection for her views over the following weeks. Dr Pickering claims that noise intrusion is a small price to pay in return for a thriving business on our doorstep. She suggests that those who don’t like it should leave the area and makes the absurd observation that her house is not only double glazed, but is also protected from the noise by the houses of those who are affected! As those who responded to her letter observe, she fails completely to recognise the issues here and simply opposes the popularist NIMBY bandwagon (which doesn’t apply here!). EggerWatch knows full well that Egger contributes to the local economy at some level and is generally considered to be a successful international company. There is no argument with that. Nor is there any suggestion that Egger should pack up and go away. Egger is an accepted and established fact of life in Hexham. The problem is that by failing to comply with the statutory requirements of the Permit to Operate issued by the local authority, they continue to cause a nuisance to residents of properties nearby. One of EggerWatch’s objectives is to encourage Egger to become good neighbours, to communicate effectively and honestly with residents and to comply with the conditions laid down in law.
Here’s a round up of the original letter and the responses.
Egger noise is small price for ‘real’ economy
Thursday, 24 December 2009
AS a resident of Oakwood since 1973 I feel, that if I was the person in charge of enforcing the planning and environmental protection agreements made years ago with Egger, I would be getting heartily fed up with some 40 or so residents of Oakwood regularly telling me how to do my job.
Industrial history: The Egger plant in Hexham stands on the site of what has been an industrial estate since the Second World War.
It is well known that noise travels up that bank, due to its shape, which can’t be altered. This became evident in 1976 when the dual carriage way was opened, encouraging commuting from Hexham to Newcastle for work. The noise from the road has increased ever since.
The noise from Egger can be heard chiefly by the householders on the row overlooking Egger when the wind is from the south.
I live behind that row, just over the brow of the hill, and I have double glazing. I sometimes hear Egger if I am gardening and the wind is from the south.
If you choose to live next to an industrial estate, and it is a choice, you must expect some noise. If the industries are a success you must expect them to expand.
The parish of (now) Anick and Sandhoe has had this industrial estate or the industries since before the last war (1939-45) not the Iraq War.
In Britain our economy no longer has much of a manufacturing base. The economy is heavily reliant on the financial market, which is silent, except for some very great crashes.
Let us be glad that we have some thriving, real economy in Hexham and be proud of one which helps preserve tropical rain forest – a vital environmental impact.
DR A.T. PICKERING,
Oakwood
Egger’s moral imperative to act
Friday, 08 January 2010
OBSCURED by her use of hyperbole and sarcasm, Dr Pickering repeats an assumption that a number of concerned residents of Anick and Oakwood are out to get rid of Egger (Courant Letters, December 25).This is not so. Our concern is one of responsibility.We are calling on Egger to take responsibility for adhering to the conditions of its planning permission, and to the unitary council to exercise the authority and influence invested in it by democratic process to ensure Egger’s responsibility assumption.The matter is quite simple – rules and regulations are created to be upheld.A child who is instructed in the necessary boundaries for social living, and who is repeatedly told ‘If you do that again then this will happen’ and the consequences do not materialise, will not respect authority, and will behave accordingly.Rather than fall into the patterns of blame and/or victimhood that our culture seems to celebrate, we are choosing to take individual and collective responsibility for addressing the continuous flouting of sound levels by Egger.Both Egger and the council are in positions of power – excercising that power involves a moral imperative that has thus far been largely absent on Egger’s part.Rather it has occupied the position of the bully, ignoring the consequences of its actions, and its impact on the environment.It seems odd to come under attack for such a stance.
CLARE LINDSAY,
Anick
Noise levels
Friday, 08 January 2010
DR Pickering’s support for Egger is well known, (Courant Letters, December 25) and some of her points are well made. However, she fudges the main issue; namely the amount of noise which the factory makes.We, who continue to press for enforcement against Egger, ask that it operates within the law like any other organisation, large or small.Dr Pickering’s suggestion that exceptions should be made on economic grounds is dangerous.We have witnessed too many examples of what happens when principle is sacrificed to economic desire.We prefer to adhere to the law and are encouraged that those in charge of enforcement think likewise and are continuing to press for Egger to show best available technology and come up with remedies which will bring its operations within permitted noise limits.
DR JOHN HALLIDAY,
Anick
Disturbance
Friday, 08 January 2010
ANN Pickering completely misses the point (Courant Letters, December 25) complaining that residents are making life difficult for local authority enforcement officers.The officer in charge of this particular non-compliance case regularly seeks the views of residents who are affected by noise from Egger’s log-handling process.Much of the evidence supporting the action he is now taking is the result of local people monitoring the levels of disturbance at his specific request.By speaking to some or all of the residents whose lives have been severely affected by Egger’s activities she would discover that prior to the new plant being built there was little or no disturbance from the old factory. She would discover that those whose lives are now blighted, were residents of the parish well before Egger was permitted to relocate their plant closer to Oakwood.Residents of Oakwood and Anick alerted the council to potential noise problems and the council chose not to listen.Residents acknowledge that this family run, European company with its headquarters in Austria, makes some contribution to the local economy and provides some local employment.What the 40 or so residents would like, however, is for Egger to behave as a good neighbour and at least comply with the planning and operating conditions.Ann Pickering should be thankful that her house is sheltered from the noise and might perhaps consider offering some sympathy to those who live in the houses that provide her shelter.
PETER RODGER,
Anick
Added Value
Friday, 22 January 2010
I WRITE in support of Dr Pickering’s comments regarding the Egger factory in Hexham (Courant, Letters, December 25).A couple of years ago I was invited to look round the plant, and was impressed by the company’s concern for the environment, by the quality of the manufacturing equipment employed in the factory, and by the very efficient use of the raw material, wood.The added value achieved by Egger and the company’s contribution to the economy of the area are remarkable.Dr Pickering is right. We need more of such enterprises in Britain to rebalance the national economy, and to reduce our dependence on the financial sector.
WALTER HEPWORTH,
Garrigill
Blighted
Friday, 22 January 2010
I HAVE never heard such sychophantic twaddle! (Courant Letters, December 25). Egger is an abomination – a blot on the landscape.It is like the Ruhr Valley down there and it should never have been allowed to expand.The truth is that the decision, plus allowing Tesco in and various other bad decisions made by senior members of Tynedale Council who were paid huge salaries for making these wrong decisions, has had a seriously detrimental effect on the local economy.The local economy is on its knees as a result of many wrong decisions and we are left with the legacy. There are, it seems to me, too many esoteric groups feathering their own nests.An historic market town like Hexham with Iceland as a central retail outlet, coupled with this cold snap, suggests our assets and our appendages are frozen.The way forward I believe, is tourism.What is needed is strong leadership to make the right decisions. You will not, I suspect, get this from our prospective parliamentary candidates.It grieves me sorely when I see the potential of this beautiful market town, in arguably the most beautiful area of the country, not being realised. I love this area but it is being blighted by a short-sighted minority.Yet I always have hope.
COLIN MOSS,
Hexham
