'Concerned' retail park bosses have apologised after a noisy leaf blower resulted in a rude awakening for neighbours as an investigation is launched.
We reported how residents in Blackpole were woken up on several consecutive mornings by a leaf blower, said to be a subcontractor, in Elgar Retail Park in Worcester last week.
Some residents said the leaf blower started at around 5.30am, leading to Warndon and Elbury Park city councillor Jill Desayrah making a complaint on their behalf.
An investigation has now been launched by Legal & General which manages the site.
Video evidence of the level of noise disturbance caused was produced by residents. For some, the disturbance added salt to the wound after those who live opposite the retail park suffered previous noise problems in March caused by resurfacing work at the same site, home to a number of big stores including KFC, Costa and Argos.
Others complaints from neighbours centred on the leaves from the retail park being blown onto the pavement and road where it then becomes the responsibility of Worcester City Council (and therefore of the taxpayer) to clean up the mess.
While welcoming the apology and the investigation by Legal & General, Cllr Desayrah said the 'proof of the pudding' lay in the way people living in the neighbouring residential areas (which predate the retail park) are treated in future.
A spokesperson for Legal & General, which manages the retail park in Blackpole Road, said: "We are concerned to learn about the disturbance to residents living near to Elgar Retail Park. We've raised this with our managing agents as a priority, and will ensure there is no further disruption to local residents. We do not condone sub-contractors operating at unsocial hours, and apologise for any inconvenience caused by this."
Cllr Jill Desayrah said: "Enquiries from WRS about pre-dawn leaf blowing at the Elgar Retail Park resulted in two different responses from the Managing Agent, Savills.
"Having denied everything initially, they were presented with irrefutable video evidence and then changed their story and accepted responsibility.
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"Now I’m delighted that L&G are expressing intentions of being good neighbours at last. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
"I’m keen to see L&G get to grips with properly instructing Savills. Their current, arms-length approach isn’t working too well, if their subcontractors’ behaviour is so at odds with what L&G would want.
"I hope we will now see maintenance activities at the retail park carried out with due consideration for local residents and the law. It’s really not too much to ask. We are all hoping for far better in the future, so these assurances from L&G are very welcome."
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