Forum Topic

55 hours of building works in a residential area

Hounslow Homes have just dropped a notice through our door informing on building works commencing in both Lateward road and Brook Road south.Apart from the sheer astronomic  & uneconomic cost to taxpayers that this very political development is costing, they seem hell bent on completely wrecking the peaceful environment we reside in here.They are to have works lasting 55 hours a week, 5 and half days a week which quite unbelievably Hounslow claims is " Normal working hours"Billed as considerate contractors.I don't think there is a single department at Hounslow which works 55 hours a week and on a saturday.I have builders on my books, they work very hard but 55 hours a week and I would be in trouble. They never work past 4 pm in winter for health and safety reasons on small sites.To add more and to show the contempt LBH have for residents, one will have delivery vehicles 50 hours a week reversing up an unsuitable access just 14 inches from her bedroom.Despite that being raised Hounslow did not give a stuff. Over to you Cllrs Cadbury and Curran.  Really not very caring for local constituents is it?

Anthony Waller ● 4272d7 Comments

Our company is bounded by rules that don't allow any noise on sites on saturdays. Painters and surveyors and quiet trades can work but no power tools or hammering etc.Quite a lot of authorities now insist on it when we are tendering for contracts. Usually when it's in a quiet neighbourhood and there are lots of residential dwellings.Vehicular movements are severely restricted too. No compressors between 16.30 and 09.30.

Raymond Havelock ● 4269d

Looking at some of these in the office today Adam, I can't find any binding laws but it seems they are preconditions laid down by the authorities or local bye laws. Currently we are bound by these in projects from the following::Malvern District councilHertsmere /3 Rivers UDCTorquay Distict CouncilExeter District CouncilNonetheless . the company does not have an issue with that as it's a level playing field for any competitors in the same territory.

Anthony Waller ● 4271d

Under what legislation or law ? - genuinely interested as I can't see any such provisions under the Environmental Protection Act and certainly not by way of planning conditions.

Adam Beamish ● 4271d

Like I said, It's annoying but it's the Saturday.I have a couple of projects in urban areas where we cannot use plant or machinery at all on weekends, not even for positioning.Prime reason: Residential area and too congested to allow emergency access.Some of these sites are almost countryside in comparison to here, but that's how it's been as long as I've worked for the company, over 23 years.

Anthony Waller ● 4271d

But there's no special rules just because this work happens to be taking place near you.  Private builders are allowed to work after 5pm, and to use machinery before 9am and after 17.30 (but not the latter on Saturdays obviously).I'm sorry but it's a classic case of NIMBYism.  Where I live we currently have the St. James development taking place on the adjoining site, the construction is well progressed now but earlier on this year every morning as soon as the clock hit 8am, the noise from construction would start and would completely dominate.  It was irritating during the summer, don't get me wrong, but it was something they were perfectly entitled to do and which thus we had to tolerate.

Adam Beamish ● 4271d

Yes, I know that. This is not some huge enclosed building site,  this is in a small dense and cramped residential area.Private builders have not been allowed to work before 8am and after 5pm and not to use machinery on saturdays or before 09.00 and after 17.30.We had tipper trucks and loading grabs just a few weeks ago at 8.30am on a Sunday morning. We were assured that weekend disturbances will not be repeated.I appreciate the notice but that is part and parcel of the terms Considerate Contractors sign up to.No problem with mon to fri but saturday in such an area is hardly considerate.So far, the whole area has had a dusting of asbestos content crushed concrete dust that went unchecked and uninspected from March to May and has only been cleared away in recent weeks following an eventual inspection some 5 months later by the HSE.Too late as almost everyone living within a half mile or more of the former Brentford Nylons building will have had exposure to the particles and it could be a long time before any adverse symptoms will show.The worry is that this is the same developer with LBH as the client.

Anthony Waller ● 4271d

Err, had you actually done a quick internet search before posting, you'd know that those hours are the standard hours of construction - 8am to 6pm on Mondays to Fridays, and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.So nothing unique to Hounslow, indeed you'll actually find Cheltenham Council recommended hours of work to be 07.30 until 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am-1pm on Saturdays.I actually think it's quite responsible of HH to drop a leaflet through residents doors - many developers wouldn't.

Adam Beamish ● 4272d