Forum Topic

Incessant thumping

If it’s bad for us, god only knows what it must be like for residents closer to the building site. We work from home and are going out of our minds. Anyone doing shift work or trying to put a baby down for a nap must be virtually homicidal. Does anyone know how long it’s going to go on for? It’s unfair and intolerable.

Tracie Dudley Craig ● 280d17 Comments

I'll believe that the next phase of the High St cycle lane will be less disruptive when I see it!!!

Elizabeth Price ● 249d

Change always has some downsides. The people who Live today in Charlton House were overwhelmingly supportive of the change despite the obvious disruption that will cause to them as individuals and families, and also to the community of people who live there.I live right next to the Heidelberg development which is causing most of the heartache at the moment. I have also temporarily lost my riverside path to 'old' Morrisons. Equally a pre school centre has been built next door (mainly new) a new building created for TeaPigs - now empty - an office at the end of the road turned into flats and the two riverside sites to the East - formerly in one case an empty office and in the other I can't remember - have been redeveloped. In one case with structural problems which are taking ages to fix (I think new regulations after Grenfell).Where I live, 20-25 years old, has some problems related to it having been built with problems, but much more solid than my previous house, which was bult in 1865.I have been in Brentford since the 1970s - either working or living here or both - and south of the High St was always largely horrible. Do I think Ballymore is perfect? Of course not, but it is enormously better than what was there before and will soon provide 96 new council flats (not sure why finishing this has taken so long) and I'd like to see the Ballymore development finished quickly.I agree about the bus confusion - TfL should do much better telling people as I have protested to them many times - but it will be finished between here and Chiswick in a few days and the next phases will be much less challenging and disruptive.Those of us who travel by bike will very soon be able to cycle from Brentford to Olympia (also to district line and overground at Gunnersbury) safely.

Guy Lambert ● 254d

Our house is equidistant between the Griffin Park development and the soon-to-commence demolition and redevelopment of Charlton and Albany houses. Lovely for those who will have new homes (and I mean that), considerably less lovely for those who’ll be trying to live - and work - between two building sites and an indeterminate timeline of works. Noise, dust and the sort of vibration which isn’t kind to Victorian structures in what’s supposed to be a conservation area. When we moved here, the biggest issue was the redevelopment of the garages in Brook Road South - flagged as a concern when we bought the house. Oh, happy days. We didn’t have a clue what was around the corner. Now, it’s EVERYWHERE and there is no escape - construction, noise, vibration. On top of that is the ongoing traffic disruption and the game of Find the Bus Stop (again, I’m a big ULEZ supporter - cycles and buses for the win). My husband and I repeatedly found ourselves scratching our heads and saying ‘Where TF do we go today?’  I’m not a great fan of the Ballymore and Ballymore-adjacent developments and never have been. They’re just not good enough. I recently spoke with one of the construction crew who said that the High Street re-development was absolute rubbish and that within 20 years it would be a slum. I’m inclined to agree. What upsets me is the disruption to existing residents. It’s not NIMBYism, it’s just ruining our quality of life and it’s only going to get worse - and no one seems to care.

Tracie Dudley Craig ● 254d

If your friend has trouble contacting Building Control the best approach is to raise it with your ward councillors guy.lambert@hounslow.gov.uk or emma.yates@hounslow.gov.uk.You will get a prompt response and speedy investigation. As I live 50M from the epicentre of this work I can report nothing has fallen off shelves, no cracks and no visible damage, though at times it does feel as though the earth moves.I will buy you and 10 other people a drink if anybody actually contacts me about these awful problems by Griffin Park, though I think such problems are more likely related to his/her neighbours

Guy Lambert ● 254d

One never hears,these days, the job title "Clerk of Works". (an independent expert checking on workmanship and the quality of materials used on building projects)The sight of masses of scaffolding in Brentford around recently built projects suggests all is not well.At the Great West Quarter, for example,scaffolding has returned to some blocks of flats ... that had been seriously hindered by months and months of scaffolding previously.

Jim Lawes ● 255d

I can feel and hear this from my Office near Northfields Stn. It is more significant than the trains rattling over the points.I understand that several residents near Griffin Park are experiencing cracks and items falling from shelves and constant vibration damaging household items.I have suggested to one friend affected to contact LBH Building Control but so far uncountable by phone and no emails responded to.10 working days is unacceptable. The damage will be done and the causers of such damage will have moved on.Not unlike all the ruined pavements cables and pipes are laid or relaid  that subside badly after settlement then crack.  Signed off often without proper checking and never factoring in settlement which does not happen overnight.End result is a mess of dangerous footpaths, kerbs and potholed roads that the Council ( and taxpayers ) have to put right but are woefully unable to manage to satisfactory standards either.It would be better that they nip all this in the bud and utilise vigorously enforcement and inspection and not let utilities or constrictors get away with mass damage and potentially ( in this instance ) widespread damage to homes the severity of which that may not be evident for months or years.If your house shakes or vibrates more than 200m away then there is damage in the offing.

Raymond Havelock ● 255d

Next ... Councillors may have to deal with noise complaints from residents near the new Workhouse Dock where the open air cinema has begun it's noisy programmesBang bang music might become the normor loud crowd noise from Wimbledon.Together with aircraft noise starting at 4.30am ... life away from it all will be a pleasant and agreeable contrast.

Jim Lawes ● 260d

Please can anything be done to do this in a different way? It’s just awful. And without any notice as to when it will occur or for how long so people can plan around the noise

Cressida Robson ● 260d

Its affected some Brentford Dock residents very badly and some are currentlytaking legal action against Fairview homes due to the damage its caused to their homes. They also contacted the local MP who failed to reply to their concerns and also LBH who were just as bad in allowing the developers all sorts of leeway in their Pile driving.

David Cook ● 261d

It comes from the rebuilding of the Heidelberg site, They have to replace the river wall which involves pile driving - putting metal sheets deep into the earth. Basically this is very difficult and they use a big hammer on a crane, plus I believe some kind of vibration.Very noisy in Ferry Quays and thereabouts. I have raised with ward councillors and planning, because I suspect they may be in breach.

Guy Lambert ● 262d

I live alone in sheltered accommodationwhere I'm very happy.I often hear this thumping and thought it was my heart playing up! Perhaps it's not.

Jim Lawes ● 262d

Now also being treated to a constant drilling of breaking up the concrete base of the Ballymore site. Along with the pile driving on the Fairview site plus of course overhead planes! Brentford is not a pleasant place to be at the moment. You try to get away from it and you have no idea where the bus stop has disappeared to!!!

Elizabeth Price ● 262d

This is so interesting. I live near Albany Road, and have been driven slightly crazy this week by what I thought was bass beat music disturbance from my downstairs, or sideways, neighbours. But I couldn't understand why the beat was so incessant, all day, and always at the same speed. I have literally just realised that the beat in my flat is the same as the outside noise of pile drivers, which I can hear today. So sorry to lovely neighbours, I realise what's causing the irritating noise. I'm in an upstairs flat, but I can still hear it clearly. Yet another really irritating thing about the destruction of Brentford (closure of Watermans being the worst thing so far). But what can we do about it?

Rosemary Ward ● 277d

The are driving re-inforcing piles into the earth.

Keith Iddon ● 279d

Thanks Guy. Sadly, piling is noisy and really no avoiding it

N V Brooks ● 279d

Former Heidelberg building. The developers have an obligation to rebuild the river wall which involves bashing in metal piling. I am listening to it now. My impression is that it's inevitable to reinforce flood defences but it's very noisy and sometimes alarming. I have asked via the ward councillors (in Syon and Brentford Lock) for more comprehensive info, though to be fair the developers have written warnings to us several times. Just don't know how long it will go on.

Guy Lambert ● 279d

Where is this?

N V Brooks ● 279d