Sleep-deprived neighbours of a waterfront pub say they are being kept awake at night by a ‘noisy’ industrial extractor system bolted to the rear of the building without planning permission.
However, the owners of The Harbour House, formerly the Seven Stars, in Flushing says it was necessary to install the unit to conform to industry standards but they did not realise they needed planning permission.
William Speed and Tamara Costin have now put in retrospective planning permission for the upgraded system as well as CCTV at the front of the building in Trefusis Road.
Mr Speed told the Packet that they didn’t think they would need planning permission to upgrade the extraction as they were simply conforming to industry requirements for general operation and health and safety and that the new system was practically silent.
However some people living nearby do not agree that the system is silent.
In the public comments on Cornwall Council’s planning portal Mr Jonathan Layfield said: “I am objecting to the extractor fan as it is huge and emits foul smells, additionally as the fans are so large it is noisy, we live directly opposite the restaurant."
Mr Robert Claringbold commented: "Noise of the system a constant drone, look of the galvanised ducting in a residential area, and built with no planning or asking local residents.”
Mr J Layfield who lives opposite the Harbour House said he strongly objected to the huge extractor fans.
“They are not only disturbingly noisy but the smell from either the coal or charcoal that is being used to cook the food and the greasy smell of the food is terrible,” he said in his comment.
“We can hear the fans and when outside smell the odours, I really pity the people who live down in Coventry Road.”
Miss Jasmin Ford, who lives one door down from the pub, says the extraction fan makes a loud whirring noise that can clearly be heard from inside her house.
“We find the continuous whirring/blowing noise oppressive, it disturbs our feeling of peace and well-being in our home,” she said.
In total there are nine public objections to the application.
Mr Speed told the Packet in a statement: “We were advised that the system that was in place when we purchased the pub would not pass new environmental health code and therefore needed upgrading.
"Extraction is a necessary part of a commercial kitchen, which without it would mean we couldn’t operate.
“If the Seven Stars team had continued to own the pub, they would also have had to upgrade this crucial system to continue to operate.
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“The new system is state of the art, brand new with full silencer attachments. The size of ducting conforms with industry standard regulation.
"The extraction is located at the rear of the building, in the same place as the previous system and is not visible from the waterfront. When running on full, the system is virtually silent.
“At the end of the day, it's a commercial space that needs up to date equipment like this in order to operate. Without an extraction system, Cornwall, and Flushing would just have yet another closed pub.”
Mylor and Flushing Parish Council’s planning committee will consider the application on February 6.
A final decision on the application will be made by Cornwall Council.
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