Milnrow Motor Company in dispute with council over noise levels

Mick Thomas from Milnrow Motor Company is stuck between a rock and a hard place after Rochdale Council told him that a piece of machinery he operates can be no louder than 50 decibels.

The company had to upgrade an extraction system in their garage to meet health and safety standards. Planning permission was granted to allow the upgrade of the system but Mick says he was not told about the sound issue until later on.

Mick said: “The planning permission was granted and we did the work and then we were told that we had to make the equipment quieter and that it could be no louder than 50 decibels and if it was to go any louder than that we would be fined.”

The issue has been ongoing since 2010 and since the issue began, Mick has been back and fourth with the council trying to reach an outcome regarding the noise.

“I can’t seem to get anywhere with it,” said Mick. “We have been in the village for over 20 years employing people and what not and now this has happened.”

Mick has also been in contact with Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk to try and get some help with the issue.

Mick added: “I got a letter back telling me that he had received my letter and that he had spoken to the council and that they said they would be working with me to resolve the issue.”

Mick thinks it is impossible to get the equipment to be lower than 50 decibels.

He added: “That is quieter than the office you are sitting in now. I don’t know where they have got this number from.”

Since being told he can’t use some of his machines, Mick has had to put a delay on some work. He said: “It is having an effect because I have had to tell one company we can’t do the work for them.”

Milnrow Motor Company is located next to a housing development which was built in the 90s.

Andy Glover, Head of Public Protection at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Following a number of complaints from residents about the noise coming from the Milnrow Motor Company, the council granted planning permission for them to upgrade their extraction system to bring noise levels down.

"Unfortunately the work carried out by the company was not in line with what had been put forward in the planning application, so the site has continued to generate unacceptable levels of noise.

"We are continuing to investigate this company.”