The Morrisons supermarket on London Road in Bath has been issued with a notice about noise disturbance from the refrigeration plant machinery in its car park, it has emerged.
A sound meter | Library image
The plant was approved by Bath & North East Somerset Council in March 2020 and installed in the summer of 2021.
One of the conditions was that the cumulative noise generated should not exceed a maximum level of 27 decibels, in order to protect nearby residents in Rockcliffe Road, Rockcliffe Avenue and Forester Road.
However, complaints have been made by local residents about noise disturbance from the machinery.
The council investigated and found that the condition had not been complied with. It measured a level of 43 decibels at the receptors on Rockcliffe Avenue.
Morrisons was subsequently issued with a breach of condition notice on 2nd April of this year.
Following the complaints, Morrisons instructed consultants to carry out noise surveys.
A technical team then reviewed the findings and there were “immediate actions” to reduce the noise impacts, and proposed mitigation measures to reduce them further.
A proposal to vary the condition in line with the acoustic investigation report has now been submitted to B&NES Council.
The consultants recommend that given the history of complaints, the situation is monitored going forward.
The planning reference is 24/02463/VAR. The deadline for comments is 1st August.
