AREA MP Edward Leigh lays responsibility for dealing with the contensious explosions at Faldingworth airfield firmly at the door of West Lindsey District Council - specifically on the shoulders of chief executive Duncan Sharkey.
“I will tell him he must use enforcement powers to close the company down,” he told an angry meeting of residents at Newtoft last Friday.
“They have the power but they have been reluctant to do it. Duncan Sharkey is the chief executive and he shou
ld get a personal grip on it.”
This is the second wave of explosions rocking villages around the former RAF station, causing damage to properties and misery for residents. Little has changed from the episode 18 months ago when West Lindsey took noise nuisance readings.
Pensioner Sheila Blenkinsop of Newton by Toft, is only now having damage repaired that was caused by the September 2006 explosions, and has to pay an Insurance excess of £1,000.
“It’s just as bad as last time,” she said. “The blasts are going on four days a week.”
Newtoft’s Dom Pavia said it was ‘absolutely horrendous’. “There is a blast every 15 or 20 minutes. Video cameras I’ve set up to record the blasts and vibrations have been knocked over. There are cracks appearing in my walls and chimney breast and ceilings have dropped.”
Mr Leigh accepted there had been some progress since 2006 in that enforcement officers had been able to get onto the site.
“They’re saying it is vital work in the national interest,” he said “but it must be possible to do that and be aware of residents.”
He advised residents to ‘band together and take legal action’.
“It is a scandalous state of affairs. I don’t think there is any doubt these cracks are down to these explosions and you would be perfectly entitled to take legal action against the company,” he said.
Mr Sharkey insists the council is working with both the site operator and local residents to resolve the issue.
“Our aim is to strike a balance with this company, which has 34 full-time employees and carries out a perfectly lawful business, with the wishes of the local community who want disruption kept to an absolute minimum,” he said.
He said the site was licensed by national government and West Lindsey’s role was to make sure no statutory nuisance was being caused.
“Last year there was a breach in the regulations and the council stopped a different company from operating. On this occasion noise tests have not produced readings which amount to a statutory nuisance and the site owners have installed vibration equipment at the nearest property to the tests which are also monitoring the position.
“It is not, and never will be, West Lindsey’s intention to close down lawful businesses which provide employment for local people. More than 100 people are employed by this project both directly and indirectly.
“However, the residents have to be considered too and we will continue to work with both parties to minimise any disruption and inconvenience.”
Alan Longden, at Faldingworth, believes the company is just going to carry on.
“They don’t look at the impact it is having on the surrounding area.
