Ed Miliband's neighbours in uproar over heat pump noise fear
The energy secretary is spearheading the mass adoption of heat pumps and has a target of installing 600,000 a year in Britain by 2028.
However, dozens of Mr Miliband's North London neighbours have objected to a planned five-storey block of flats over noise pollution concerns related to the heat pumps included in the designs.
Mr Miliband's wife, Justine Thornton, is among those to object to Camden Council about the development in Dartmouth Park, a wealthy suburb in the Prime Minister's constituency. Sherlock actor Benedict Cumberbatch has also opposed the plans.
She previously called the design 'too tall, too bulky and too dense', although she has not commented specifically on the inclusion of heat pumps.
But the eco devices come up several times in objections lodged by neighbours and published on Camden Council's website.
Local resident Kim Roper said: 'The inclusion of six ground-level heat pumps near adjoining residences raises serious concerns about long-term noise pollution.'
Jerome Gautrais similarly raised concerns over 'noise pollution risks from six external heat pumps close to living spaces.'
Katrina Silver said: 'Six noisy heat pumps and space for bicycles is simply 'greenwashing'.'
Mr Miliband has already been left red-faced by his wife's involvement in the so-called 'Nimbyism' row over the flats as it goes against the Labour's repeated promises to end 'challenge culture' whereby communities block new developments.
Sir Keir Starmer previously pledged to 'take on the Nimbys.'
But, the latest revelation offers fresh embarrassment to Mr Miliband, who has sought to quash anxieties around heat pumps and even has one installed in his own home.
Air source heat pumps, which are positioned outside a home, can produce a low constant hum of between 40 and 60 decibels, which is similar to the level of noise made by a fridge or dishwasher. They will typically run continuously throughout winter.
A noise impact assessment by ALN Acoustic Design found that it would be possible to achieve a low level of noise at the Dartmouth Park development. It said it would 'avoid causing any significant impact at the neighbouring residential properties.'
But, resident Harry Raikes called the noise impact assessment 'inadequate'.
He added: 'It does not properly evaluate the potential for continuous or intermittent noise, particularly affecting neighbouring gardens and internal living spaces.
'Without robust mitigation measures and clear assurances that noise levels will remain within acceptable limits, this element of the development poses a risk of ongoing noise pollution, further impacting residents' quality of life.'
It comes months after The Telegraph revealed that Parliament paused a planned rollout of heat pumps amid concerns over their noise and effectiveness,
Camden Council and the Energy Department were approached for comment.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Data centre developers hand cash to Labour in ‘Yimby' charm offensive
The developer behind one of Europe's biggest data centres has donated tens of thousands of pounds to Labour amid a race to get more properties built across Britain. DC01, a property developer that is seeking to build a £3.75bn data centre in Hertfordshire, gave £20,000 to the Labour Growth Group, which includes dozens of Labour MPs, in May, according to Electoral Commission records. The property company sponsored a reception at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden for Labour MPs in June that was attended by senior ministers, including Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and Peter Kyle, the Technology Secretary. At the dinner, Mr Kyle spoke of the 'essential role data infrastructure will play in delivering the UK's technology ambitions', DC01 said in a LinkedIn post. Another property company owned by London-listed developer Tritax Big Box gave £25,000 to a Labour pressure group called Labour Yimby – or 'yes in my back yard' – in June. Labour Yimby calls itself a 'grassroots pro-housing, pro-growth movement' largely made up of Labour councillors. Tritax Big Box manages billions of pounds in properties for logistics and warehousing, but has increasingly pitched its facilities as 'compelling data centre opportunities'. New planning applications The donations come amid deepening ties between Labour, developers and the technology sector as the Government seeks to boost investment in Britain, at a time when interest in artificial intelligence (AI) is booming. Labour ministers have sought to smooth over planning rules to make it easier for data centres to be built on the green belt in so-called 'grey belt' areas. Multiple new data centre applications have been waved through, despite concerns from residents and in some cases objections from local councils. It follows concerns that a glut of new data centres could ramp up the UK's emissions. Data centres for AI require racks of thousands of powerful and power-hungry computer processors. In September, the Government tweaked planning rules to classify data centres as projects critical to national security, which can help bypass planning roadblocks. Announcing the measures, Mr Kyle also hailed DC01's data centre plans as a 'vote of confidence' in Labour's approach. DC01 received outline planning permission from Hertfordshire County Council in January for its 2m sq ft facility near South Mimms. It still requires full planning permission for the project. It is not clear who funds DC01 or who its ultimate customer will be. If the project goes ahead, it could secure a deal with a technology giant such as Amazon or Microsoft. DC01 has said its project will create 200 permanent jobs and 500 construction roles. Marc Harris, the co-chairman of Labour Yimby, said: 'We make no apology of supporting the industry to build the homes and infrastructure so desperately needed. 'Britain's finances and services cannot afford to side with blockers over builders. We support the Government's pledge to build 1.5 million homes, and unlock our data centre potential, but bold planning reforms are needed to make it happen.' Labour Growth Group declined to comment. Tritax Big Box declined to comment. DC01 was contacted for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Labour councillor ‘horrified' by own cutting throats comment at rally, jury told
A Labour councillor who called at an anti-racism rally for far-right activists' throats to be cut has told a jury he felt 'horrified' after realising what he had said. In the wake of rioting after the Southport murders last summer, Ricky Jones, 58, described far-right activists as 'disgusting Nazi fascists', his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. He told jurors on Wednesday that his comment did not refer to far-right protesters involved in the riots at the time, but to those who had reportedly left National Front stickers on a train with razor blades hidden behind them. A video showing Jones addressing the crowd in Walthamstow, east London, on August 7 last year, went viral on social media after the protest. Wearing a black polo top and surrounded by cheering supporters, the councillor said: 'You've got women and children using these trains during the summer holidays. 'They don't give a shit about who they hurt. 'They are disgusting Nazi fascists. We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all.' He also drew his finger across his throat as he spoke to the crowd. Jones, who at the time worked as an official for the Transport Salaried Staff's Association (TSSA) union, later sent an edited version of his speech video to union members, the court heard. Asked by his defence barrister, Hossein Zahir KC, why he edited the video, Jones replied: 'When I had time to view the footage after the demonstration, I was shocked at what I had actually said. 'I was horrified. 'Under no circumstances did I want to portray that to anybody, so I edited that last bit out.' The unedited video was eventually posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, where it attracted millions of views, the trial heard. Jones told jurors he felt 'very emotional and very upset' after receiving pictures, the day before the rally, of National Front stickers that had been left on a train, which had razor blades hidden behind them – supposedly so that people who tried to remove the stickers would injure themselves. He had also received reports from union members that more razor blades had been found stuck between seats, Jones added. 'I was very concerned about what had happened on the train. 'I was thinking, this (the speech) is a good opportunity to raise what happened.' The father-of-four and grandfather described the mood in the crowd at the time as 'happy and joyful', adding: 'There clearly wasn't any upset or anger from any people in that scene, because they clearly knew it was about what happened on the train.' Prosecutor Ben Holt, cross-examining, told the defendant: 'Your words about slitting people's throats were not cheerful or happy.' Jones replied: 'I totally agree, I'm ashamed.' The defendant however denied intending to encourage violence towards far-right protesters. 'What violence could have anyone caused to those people in the train?' Jones said. 'It was nonsensical – I didn't believe there was a risk.' Jones, who has been a borough councillor in Dartford, Kent, since 2019, was suspended by the Labour Party the day after the alleged incident. He was arrested on August 8 last year and interviewed at Brixton Police Station that night. The demonstration had been organised in response to plans for a far-right march outside Waltham Forest Immigration Bureau. It followed the disorder in parts of the UK last summer after the Southport murders. Jones, of Dartford, denies one count of encouraging violent disorder. The trial continues.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
French energy giant wins legal battle to shut down North Sea oil fields
Ed Miliband's net zero push has helped a French energy giant win a legal battle to decommission a key North Sea energy hub – killing off five oil fields in the process. On Tuesday, Paris-based TotalEnergies won a High Court victory to close the Gryphon floating production platform which is anchored 200 miles north-east of Aberdeen. Judges relied on Mr Miliband's net zero targets as justification to close the site, backing an original decision by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), which had been opposed by rival oil groups. The Gryphon produced up to 2pc of UK oil and gas production, and its closure will mean 200 job losses with an estimated 9m barrels of known oil reserves left in the ground, plus £150m in lost tax revenue for the Treasury. Total is cutting back operations in UK waters linked to Mr Miliband's crackdown on offshore oil and gas as well as the 78pc tax on offshore profits imposed by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor. Its decommissioning plans were originally approved by the NSTA partly because reduced oil and gas production would cut UK greenhouse gas emissions and so help achieve net zero. However, they were strongly opposed by Nobel Upstream, which used the Gryphon to store output from two adjacent oil fields – and wanted Total to keep in use. Nobel has now lost its judicial review of the NSTA's decision – opening the way for the Gryphon vessel to be removed and the underlying oil fields permanently decommissioned. The NSTA's role is advisory – the final approval for decommissioning the fields now rests with the Government's Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning. This is part of Mr Miliband's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The judgment said: 'By taking account of the societal costs of carbon [emissions] the NSTA produced a more accurate assessment of the value to the UK of extracting the petroleum and so assisted the Secretary of State to achieve net zero because an emission-generating activity, the full societal cost of which outweighed its benefits, would not continue.' Richard Tice, Reform UK's energy spokesman, said: 'This is a shocking, negligent decision by a judge overly focused on net zero. 'The consequence is the loss of hundreds of jobs, millions of barrels of oil and hundreds of millions worth of value to the UK economy.' Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, said: 'We know we'll be needing oil and gas for decades to come so we should be making the most of our resources in the North Sea. ' A Nobel spokesman said the company was deeply disappointed and warned the case would set a precedent that could see many more such closures. 'This decision supporting the shutting in of some 12,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day of oil and gas production will only hasten the demise of the North Sea, where the tax and regulatory regimes are already punitive,' he said. The Gryphon is a giant floating production, storage and offloading vessel over the Gryphon North and Gryphon South oil and gas fields. It also receives output from two Nobel oil fields – the 'Maclure' and 'Ballindalloch' – with all its gas exported directly to the UK mainland, where it enters the national gas grid to support power stations and heat millions of homes. Production was halted by Total earlier this year and the final closure decision marks the latest blow to the North Sea, which is in rapid decline amid the Government's retreat from oil and gas. It comes after Donald Trump hit out at the UK's taxes on North Sea oil while in Scotland last month, saying the resource is a 'treasure chest' for the country. Derek Thomson, Unite's Scottish secretary, said: 'Thousands of jobs in the oil and gas sector are under threat. The deep concern for Unite is that TotalEnergies' plan for the Gryphon remains premature and the judicial review's outcome could have a domino effect across the North Sea.' Michelle Thomson, the SNP MSP for Falkirk East, said: 'It's terrible news that TotalEnergies intend to shut down their floating storage and associated oil fields. This can only result in the loss of jobs that will have a much wider impact across the entire sector and undermine any attempts to have a just transition.' TotalEnergies did not reply to requests for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
