Abattoir Liaison Group

Minutes of meeting held on 22nd February 2016

6pm, ABP Food Group, Muchelney Road, Huish Episcopi

Present: / Derek Yeomans (DY)
Clare Aparicio Paul (CAP) / Somerset County Councillor, Chairman of Group
Ward Member, South Somerset District Council (SSDC)
Barry Horsgood (BH)
Alistair Lyle (AL) / Huish Episcopi Parish Councillor
General Manager, ABP Food Group
Cara Naden (CN) / Transition Langport, Langport Town Councillor
Teresa Oulds (TO)
5 local residents / Neighbourhood Development Officer, SSDC
Apologies: / Mike Laird (ML)
2 local residents / Health, Safety & Environmental Manager, ABP Food Group
No / Note / Action
1 / Apologies for absence
  • As above.

2 / Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising
Matters arising:
  • Investigate ways to reduce use of back entrance out of hours. AL confirmed that they have tried to ensure that this entrance is not used out of hours and he was not aware of any complaints having been received since the meeting. A resident reported, however, that a truck uses it every evening around 6pm. He had not told ABP of this. AL reiterated the request that any complaints be reported to ML at the time of the occurrence as this makes it much easier to investigate.
  • Check the position of the fence. This is covered within the planning permission.
  • Investigate smell noticed on Friday evenings. No cause had been found for this.
  • Ask SSDC to repeat noise monitoring if possible. It had not been possible to do this due to adverse weather conditions and no complaints had been received by SSDC since the last meeting. However, a resident near Eli’s had complainedof noise and ML had investigated this. He had not found any evidence to suggest there was noise coming from the abattoir, but it was noted by all present that work being done by Wessex Water at St Mary’s Church Car Park was the most likely source of the noise (and smells).
  • At the last meeting, it was said that the Leylandii trees had not been cut back since ABP took over the plant: a resident stated that this was incorrect as they had been cut since then.
Minutes of last meeting:
  • The Minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting held on 20th July 2015.

3 / Update on proposed development
a)Tree planting and landscaping
  • Planting was done in January to replace the trees that had died.
  • The holes in the Leylandii hedge have been filled and mulched.
b)Bore hole drilling
  • An artesian well has been found which will be a very good water source. It is highly pressured and has been capped whilst the most cost-effective way to pump the water into the factory’s current water supply is determined. The water is fairly clear but will need to be decontaminated before it can be used.
  • AL hoped the water would be used in the plant within six months.
c)Start date
  • It is hoped to start the enabling works in the next 2-3 weeks.
  • Plan to build a lorry park for ABP vehicles. This would be sited away from the main building and would take up to 10 trucks, with sufficient space for them to be reverse parked so the refrigerated sections are away from the cottages. They will run on electricity not diesel. The noise levels would be monitored.
Is this a temporary arrangement? The abattoir will always need trucks and somewhere to park them. It might eventually be possible to build somewhere to hang the carcasses so that they do not need to be kept in trucks, but this is not going to be delivered within the foreseeable future.
  • There will be additional livestock lorries using Tanyard Lane whilst the work at the front of the plant is being carried out – which could be for up to 9 months. This has the potential to cause a repeat of the considerable disruption experienced by residents during the recent road closure as the lane is not wide enough for trucks to pass each other. It was agreed that AL would ensure mitigation is in place before the work started, e.g. traffic lights.
ACTION: AL to investigate ways to mitigate disruption caused to residents during the increased use of Tanyard Lane whilst the first stage of development takes place. (4-1)
ACTION: AL to ensure nearby residents are notified of the start date. (4-2)
  • Those present were asked to let ML know of any issues as they arise as this makes it much easier to investigate and hopefully resolve problems.
  • The whole of the site will be tarmacked and grassed as appropriate at the end of the building works which will look a lot tidier.
/ AL
AL
4 / Any other business
  • Concern was expressed that the plant was visible from a distance. The previous owners had not planted willow as promised, which would have acted as a screen.
  • A neighbour reported a few occasions where the bleeper of a fork lift truck could be heard at 4.30am.
ACTION: AL would investigate the early morning noise from a fork lift truck. The newer trucks coming in should be quieter. (4-3)
  • Could noise monitoring be carried out over the next few months? This will be requested.
ACTION: TO to request noise monitoring by SSDC. (4-4)
  • A resident asked that the lorry movements under the S106 be enforced. DY reminded the meeting that the routing of HGVs on the public road was advisory only and there is no Traffic Regulation Order in force. It was not part of a S106 agreement.
/ AL
TO/SSDC
5 / Date and venue of next meeting: Monday 23rd May 2016 – 6pm – ABP

Abattoir Liaison Group Meeting – 22nd February 2016 (copy for website)

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