G'day all,
After looking into noise and air pollution nuisance claims today, I sent
this message to the Environmental Law Foundation to see if they can be any
help in the near term.
Dear ELF,
I'm writing on behalf of the residents of Great Eastern Street, Cambridge.
Govia Thameslink Rail (GTR) has been quietly planning a 12-carriage train
wash to be built behind our homes since 2018, but public engagement only
started in late 2019. They plan to start building in March 2020.
At a meeting held on 16 January 2020, GTR shared this information:
• Purpose: This facility replaces the existing 8 carriage trainwash south
of the bridge.
• Visual impact: The facility will extend from about mid 40s to about 70
GES. It will be a large grey metal shed 33m long, 9m tall and 7m wide. The
trainwash will be approximately 25m from our back fences but a pump shed
will be between our back fences and the trainwash.
• Light impact: GTR is proposing lighting all the way along the outside of
the facility.
• Noise and vibration impact: GTR claim that their modeling predicts a
noise of 40dB measured at the fence-line. This includes a train moving
through the facility at 3mph, mechanical brushes, water, chemical sprays,
and pump engine sounds. It will be in use 24/7, primarily between the hours
of 11pm and 6am, with approximately 4 trains per hour. Washing takes about
10 minutes per train. This could be up to 50 trains a day. Trains will also
be parking around the area. GTR have not provided the modeling itself, its
empirical assumptions, or other examples of similar facilities.
• Water and air impact: The shed will enclose the wash but will have an
open entrance and exit. Water reclamation will be used. It has not yet been
decided which chemicals will be used.
GTR’s position
• GTR claim that this is Permitted Development under various railway acts.
We understand that these acts do not allow a council to refuse except in
certain narrow circumstance, one of which is injury to amenity of the
neighbourhood. We can not find a record of the planning application for
this development on the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning site so we can
not access any materials about concerns or mitigation.
• GTR claim that the GES sidings were the only location they could use for
the new 12-carriage trainwash, despite owning land in a number of close
industrial and non-residential areas.
We believe that there will be substantial noise, vibration, light, air, and
water pollution nuisance as a result of this development. We are seeking a
way to stop it or at least an injunction to pause it while we investigate
these issues. Are such injunctions possible?
If we can't stop it before it is built, we are seeking the most efficient
way to start a nuisance action and the requirements therein.
FWIW, GTR is holding a public consultation on Monday 24 Feb at 18:30 at the
Salvation Army Building, 3 Tenison Rd, Cambridge CB1 2DG. We'd appreciate
any help you can provide prior to that date, so that we can use it in
discussion with GTR.
Sincerely, Sean Rintel
