Residents living near a Whistl logistics centre have told a public inquiry how 'horrific' noise has 'damaged' their lives. Neighbours to the Astley warehouse development gave emotional testimony during a two-day traffic commissioner hearing.
Whistl has applied to the traffic commissioner to house 60 HGVs and 95 trailers at unit 2 of the PLP-operated Astley Business Park in Tyldesley. Many villagers are fighting the plans and urging refusal of the application.
Residents describe impact on daily life
The inquiry, chaired by deputy traffic commissioner John Baker, ended at the Brick Community Stadium in Wigan on November 11. On more than one occasion, proceedings paused as residents fought back tears or broke down while giving evidence of how Whistl's operations had affected their daily lives and health.
Carole and Steve Retford live on Withington Drive, the closest property to Unit Two. "It never stops, 24 hours a day, there's no respite," Carole said. "We hear shunting, beeping, all of what you'd expect from a huge logistics operation, it doesn't stop at all."
"It's continuous and has changed our lives entirely. We've not been in the garden or used our summer house for 12 months. We don't have barbecues or friends round as you can't hear yourself think. We have to turn the TV sound up as it's like rolling thunder, the engines and the beeping. It's a wonder I've not been certified due to it."
Steve said: "Whistl's operations have had a profound impact, I'm not a flaky character but the effect on us is like a snowball rolling downhill, it gets bigger and bigger. It's the booming, like rolling thunder, a cacophony of racket. Sleep deprivation is a torture. I was a police officer for decades and I know that prisoners get a mandated eight hours sleep a night. I wish we got eight hours."
Objections and expert evidence
In July this year, 24-hour operations at Unit Two began under an interim licence. Shortly after, neighbours complained of 'cacophonous' noise, vibration, fumes, visual intrusion and road safety impacts from the round-the-clock operation. After engaging with residents and introducing noise mitigation, Whistl voluntarily stopped vehicle movements at the site between midnight and 6am as a result of the complaints.
The inquiry recognised 143 valid objections, many of which were represented by the Astley Warehouse Action Group (AWAG). John Peters, a founding member of AWAG, said: "Our whole community had been assaulted, it's been catastrophic. For our community its been like a plane crash landing on that field. Kids have had breathing difficulties, we've had flooding, rat infestation, sewage leakages, Wigan council fobbed us off, in that absence we took the role of looking after the community."
David Gerrard, who has lived on Thistlecroft since he, his wife and three daughters moved into a new build in 2019, said: "The impact is throughout the house, we don't use the garden like we used to. We used to socialise there with friends in the garden – now I'm embarrassed to have people round. To be honest it now looks like I bought a house in the middle of Trafford Park. I'm finding it difficult, my wife finds it difficult. The lorries illuminate the children's bedrooms."
He added: "The other day I went into the bedroom at 5.30pm and stayed until 12, I time stamped vehicle movement. Every van and wagon, there were 113 movements over seven hours. That's one movement every 3.5 minutes and that was just a regular Tuesday evening. How are we meant to live like this? It's ruining our lives."
Acoustic report and company response
The hearing heard evidence from acoustics expert James Healey, a director of the firm Peninsula, who is also chair of the Association of Business Acoustics. His report concluded that on average decibel levels at some homes caused by Whistl's operations were 19 decibels above the norm during the day and 21 decibels at night. He said these levels were significant, adverse noise which could lead to health issues. He added: "These levels cause stress, anxiety, disturbed sleep over weeks and are likely to be harmful affects over a period of time leading to cardio-vascular risks. In 22 years of working in this field I've never seen a planning application be approved with a level of impact such as this. For me it's unprecedented, it's not typical, you would expect complaints."
Following the hearing, a spokesperson for Whistl said: "We participated fully in the inquiry and await its outcome. We recognise the noise concerns that have been raised by some local residents about our operations at the site and remain committed to being a good neighbour. While we await the decision, the measures we have put in place to reduce night-time noise and pause in overnight activity in the site's yard remain in place, and we will continue to work with Wigan Council, our landlord PLP and local residents to identify a sustainable, long-term solution."
On the opening day of the hearing, lawyer Patrick Sadd, representing Whistl, argued that round-the-clock operations at the site were 'not a matter of convenience, but one of necessity'. He added: "It is essential to a parcel service where people expect next day delivery." Mr Sadd said Whistl now proposed a reduction in the number of trucks and trailers, wishing to have 50 HGVs and 70 trailers housed at the site.
David Twiddle, group operations director for Whistl, told the inquiry that Astley Business Park was its choice, in large part because it had 24/7 planning permission for logistics use. He added: "We have a long-term, 15-year lease at Unit Two which we are unable to break." He said Whistl 'need to operate from the site, with or without a licence' and that if the operating licence was denied, the company would be forced to use sub-contracted hauliers at the unit instead of its own fleet. Mr Twiddle said: "In using sub contracted haulage there, we would have little or no control over them and how they operate. They would not be bound by our conditions and it would have a negative impact on our workforce."
Following the conclusion of the hearing, the deputy traffic commissioner said he would attempt to deliver a decision within 28 days.
