Beatys in Eden disturbance
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• Western Deputy Licensing Authority Kenneth Birchall has renewed John and Stuart Beaty's international licence for 14 vehicles and 16 trailers, but with conditions restricting the times of operation at one of their two depots.
The Beatys were authorised to operate six vehicles and trailers from a site at Appleby, and eight vehicles with 10 trailers from Blencarn, Penrith. The renewal of Blencarn was opposed by Eden District Council and local resident John Stamper.
David Johnson, Eden Council's chief planning officer, said there was no planning permission for the use of the Blencam site and enforcement action was about to be taken. The use of the site for maintenance caused environmental pollution through noise and disturbance. The surrounding road network was unsuitable for heavy vehicles and local residents were being adversely affected. Stamper said he had seen vehicles entering and leaving the site as early as 02:38 hours and as late as midnight. There seemed to be an inordinate amount of shunting, which he suspected was caused by the fact that it took several movements to get vehicles and trailers into the workshop. As this corrugated iron workshop pointed directly at his property, the noise was magnified. Operations were carried out at site seven days a week.
Producing a photograph of vehicles parked overlooking his house, one of which had a centrefold from a soft porn magazine displayed in the cab window, Stamper said that he found it very offensive.
John Beaty said that the company had been in business at Blencarn for 30 years, and was engaged in long-distance bulk haulage. He agreed about the times of operation, but said this was unavoidable.
For Stamper, Jonathan Lawton said the provisions of the Act reflected growing environmental concern. It was unfortunate that everything the Beatys did affected Stamper, but he was entitled to the protection of the law.
Birchall imposed conditions that restricted vehicle movement and maintenance to 06:00-20:00hrs Monday to Friday; vehicle movement to 06:00-17:00hrs on Saturdays; and maintenance to 06:0016:00hrs on Saturdays. He banned any movement or maintenance on Sundays.