New Measures To Alleviate Horn Lane Pollution

MP says meeting at site was useful exercise

Operators at the Horn Lane industrial site have agreed to a number of changes following a meeting with the local MP.

Ealing Central and Acton MP, Angie Bray, attended the site on Friday (13th July) along with a representative from from local residents' group, SHLAP and the major agencies involved in monitoring pollution.

Below Ms Bray lists the issues raised and the outcome:

1. The appalling communications with local residents about industrial work at the site and the urgent need improve them. The operators have now agreed to facilitate regular meetings every other month with local residents and the Environment Agency.

2. Questions about the requirement to enclose the conveyor machine at Hanson's to subdue noise.

3. The question of why Hanson's has still not submitted its retrospective planning application for the rebuild at the site - they say it will be with the Council in a week or so.

4. Questions about Hanson's working outside normal operating hours. They claim this is to do with extra work required by the Crossrail project.

5. Film footage sent to her showing huge dust clouds where aggregates were being unloaded from a freight train. Aggregates have agreed to take extra measures to alleviate the problems, including introducing an extra curtain to hold back dust particles.

6. A reconsideration of an original plan by Gowing and Pursey to enclose their whole yard, which was turned down by the Council. This would provide residents with some improvement, although they will still hope for a complete rezoning of the site.

7. The fact that on arrival for the meeting, the site was unusually immaculate, which did not allow a proper assessment of the operators at work under normal working conditions. Gowing and Pursey have invited Angie back at any time, but with half an hour notice to allow the boss time to get there.

Ms Bray says:

"Today's meeting has been a useful exercise. We've got everyone together on the site. This isn't before time and for too long residents have been left in the dark. Obviously, the best solution would be to rezone the site, but in the meantime we need to fight for better implementation of the regulations and limitations on activity there. It may well be that Crossrail is driving certain extra activity, but this should not prevent proper discussion with residents about how this takes place. I have also asked for reports back on other particular queries, which need resolving.

"The meeting was a start, but there is much more left to do. Clearly this problem isn't going away any time soon, but we have put the companies on notice that we're all watching their activity very closely now. I'm going to stay very close to this issue."

15th July 2013