The Board of the Faversham Society on 26^th November discussed the three conditions for which EKR have made submissions and which are currently the subject of public consultation.

The Faversham Society does not have any comments in respect of the following:

KCC/SW/0249/2019 Condition 53 Complaints procedure

KCC/SW/0248/2019 Condition 47 Landscaping.

However, the Society has concerns about the submission on condition 28 as below:

KCC/SW/0237/2019  Condition 28  Noise management

Condition 28 requires that the monitoring locations of noise generated by the plant reflect the nearest noise sensitive receptors to where the site operations will be carried out. The monitoring period shall be a minimum of two non-consecutive measurements of 15 minutes duration at each location. Noise monitoring shall take place during normal working periods and checked to confirm that the measurements were taken during normal working periods. There is a requirement in the condition to provide written reports to the Waste Protection Authority within one month of the date of each monitoring visit. If noise exceeds the permitted limits, there is a need to set out and implement the steps required to reduce the levels to those set out in condition 27.

There is also a condition about making sure the plant operates at the correct noise levels when it is in operation.

The sensitive sites for monitoring identified by the applicant include Pheasant Farm on Church Road, Oare and the Oare Lakes residential development. At present, the monitoring site for the Oare Lakes development is shown on Ham Road next to the nearest part of Goldfinch Close. There is a process set out for what needs to happen if the noise exceeds the required level involving working with KCC.

These are reasonable locations at present. It is stated that the applicant will move the Oare Lakes monitoring station when the site is completed and occupied. There is no indication where this will be moved to but the nearest houses to the active parts of EKR will be in phase 2 of the Oare Lakes development. The houses in phase 1 which are being built are a lot closer to the EKR plant than the initial location for the sound monitor in Ham Road and some of these houses are likely to be occupied within the next six months or so. It is recommended that KCC should ask for the location of the relevant noise monitor to be moved towards the further end of the present Evers Road as soon as phase 1 starts to be occupied and then again when the houses in phase 2 are built in the extension to Evers Road (or any closes which are nearer to the plant).

Prepared by
Anne Salmon BA  MCD  MRTPI