Angry West Sussex residents protest over 'unbearable' factory noise

People living near the factory – Multi Installations in Victoria Gardens, Burgess Hill – say their lives have been made ‘unbearable’ by noise from it for the past 18 months.

They say the site is ‘an eyesore’ and that the noise from it is so bad they have been unable to use their gardens in summer.

Multi Installations is currently seeking retrospective planning permission for the installation of a steel racking storage frame and powder coat oven. But residents maintain that other equipment has also been installed without planning consent.

Floods of protest letters have been submitted to the council and Burgess Hill Town Council is also urging planners to turn down the application.

One angry resident, in a letter to the district council, said: “Residents have had to live with the noise disruption for 18 months despite numerous complaints to Environmental Health and the planning department and we cannot understand how they have been able to continue to put up more buildings and operate without planning permission.”

Another said: “The company has refused to stick to imposed restrictions and rules and has shown little or no regard for our comfort or rights as residents.”

They say that a dust extraction hopper was installed without planning permission and has created noise pollution that has been ‘unbearable’ and lasts from early in the moring until late at night, and at weekends.

One nearby resident said: “The noise disturbance this company have caused since the installation of the extraction 'hopper' – of which we are yet to see planning for – has caused me and many of my neighbours upset, inconvenience and general disruption due to the noise issues they have created, and the hours they operate. The installation of racking and a powder coat oven will only add to this.”

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Another added: “The quality of the design of these structures is completely shambolic, piecemeal and an eyesore” and added that they had been unable to enjoy their garden because of the noise and had to keep their windows and doors closed for the past 18 months.

Mid Sussex District Council has yet to make a decision.