Villagers kept up at night by 'jet-engine type' noise protest ahead of decision on 24-hour working at Melton waste transfer station

Over 70 residents have objected, as have North Ferriby and Welton parish councils and MP David Davis Similar plans were refused by councillors in 2019, a decision upheld by a Government Inspector.

A report ahead of a meeting on Thursday says Transwaste Recycling and Aggregates has worked with the Environment Agency to reduce “potential noise and odour sources” from Melton Waste Park.

Officers recommend allowing the waste transfer station to operate, internally, 24-hours-a-day, with deliveries restricted to current operating hours.

However residents claim the site is already causing noise disturbance through the night, even though the firm does not currently have permission for out of hours working.

Resident Jo Arro said: “In this warm weather, I’ve had my windows open and just can’t sleep for the jet-engine-type noise that I can hear.”

Another resident said in their objection said Transwaste's existing operations are already having a "serious detrimental effect" and any extension to working hours "would make the effect far worse". He stated: "Residents are subject to foul smells, day and night."

Others describe the noise as "highly disturbing - loud metal banging, clanking, grinding, machinery churning, rumbling, dumping and on occasions droning sounds assembly from working machinery".

In his objection Mr Davis said the proposal “would sanction noise nuisance to occur throughout the night, inevitably causing further disturbance to residents”.

Welton parish council says a four-metre high acoustic wall, which was approved in February on the northern boundary of the waste park, won't help as noise is coming "from all parts of the site".

But in the report to councillors, East Riding council officers say Public Protection have not raised any objections, subject to requested conditions.

A further noise assessment was carried out which showed that levels at local receptors were "only marginally increased when the site is operating at night compared to when it is not."

Other businesses in the area worked overnight and "to date, it has not been established that Transwaste are responsible for complaints received".

A wood burning plant at the Melton site has permission to work 24-hours, as will an energy from waste plant and Anaerobic Digester (AD) plant, which are approved but are not yet built.

On Thursday councillors will also hear a separate planning application by Melton Energy Tech for the AD plant on the Transwaste site.

The plant uses micro-organisms to break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen creating a biogas called bio-methane and "digestate", which can be used as a fertiliser or a fuel.

The plant will process around 100,000 tonnes of feedstock, including from the wider Transwaste site.

Officers again are recommending approval, saying it is a resubmission of a previously approved "near identical" proposal, but in a different location.

There will be a legal agreement to ensure to prevent two AD plants from being erected on the site.

North Ferriby parish council is objecting, saying there's been no assessment of how the cumulative effect of operating 24/7 will increase the background noise levels, especially at night.