08-08-2025
Residents speak of years living in 'torment' and 'torture' of bass noise from power plants
Residents have spoken of their "torture" and "torment" living with bass noise from two power plants.
The people of Cowpen Bewley say they have been proved right by years of "persistent and pulsating" low-frequency noise from Statera's power stations. The problem was so serious, the Stor Generating Plants on Seal Sands Link Road, Billingham are no longer operating.
The Environment Agency suspended the plants' environmental permits until the issue was resolved. So Saltholme North Power Ltd applied for planning permission to install a "sarcophagus" around the 49.99MW gas-fired power plants.
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The EA were said to be satisfied this could reduce the noise levels, but would only restore the permits if it was achieved. However residents at Stockton Council's planning committee meeting said they were not convinced.
Dr Hugh Stitt said residents had suffered "torment, anguish and mental stress" because of the plants, approved in 2018 and operating since 2021. He told the committee: "The key issue is one of low-frequency noise - persistent and pulsating.
"The issue was highlighted and predicted by our noise consultant prior to the original plan being approved. Subsequent events have proven his analysis to be entirely correct.
'I implore you, I entreat you, I beseech you'
"In this application [the consultant] is again preaching caution. He states specifically it is unlikely that measures will achieve the required reduction in low-frequency noise.
"This all feels too rushed," he said, referring to fundamental unresolved issues and doubt over whether the proposed improvements would alleviate residents' suffering. "Should this go ahead, they will likely be subjected once again to low-frequency purgatory.
"We must have absolute assurance that this will not be the case. For the sake of our welfare, I therefore implore you, I entreat you, I beseech you to reject this proposal."
Fellow objector Stewart Swales said the committee had ignored the predictions of a nationally recognised expert on low frequency noise pollution, which turned out to be "devastatingly accurate". He said: "The consequences of that decision are no longer theoretical, they are real. They are affecting people, my family, my neighbours, our community.
"My family along with others have lived through noise levels between 66 and 72 decibels - not for a day, or a week, but for three years. This isn't a nuisance, that is in my view an act of torture.
"It's harmed our sleep, our peace, our physical and mental health. Personally my mental health could not withstand going through this again. As elected councillors, we are asking for your help."
Billingham South Councillor Katie Weston, speaking on behalf of another objector, said residents of a beautiful village and "tranquil oasis" had endured "the most awful noise nuisance", with one forced to move out of their main bedroom because of sleep disturbance: "It is important that we are never placed in the same position again, therefore it is essential that noise conditions are comprehensive and swiftly enforceable."
Dan Rayne, director of Stratera Energy, told councillors: "Saltholme is one of the UK's most efficient gas peaking plants. It's turned off the majority of the time.
"It's intended to operate during periods of low power generation or excess demand. It helps support the UK's move towards wind power and solar energy.
"We noticed that the low-frequency noise generated by the site was higher than our planning assessments predicted. Over the last few years we're undertaken a lot of independent noise assessment studies and consultations.
"We're confident that the design we propose is robust and will alleviate all of the noise issues that have been flagged over the past few years. The EA has confirmed it is satisfied with the proposal.
"If the plan is approved we intend to start immediately to rectify the noise issues. We will undertake noise measurements after installation to demonstrate that the scheme has been successful."
'A degree of comfort'
Council officers recommended approval of the plan with conditions. Planning service manager Simon Grundy said: "The Environment Agency do hold an awful lot of the power in this.
"They give consent for the permits and they've got to be satisfied before they relinquish the suspension. There is a degree of comfort I hope members will get from that."
Environmental health service manager Stephen Donaghy added: "The environmental permit is currently suspended. The Environment Agency will not lift the suspension, they will simply allow a period of time for testing to be undertaken.
"They must meet with the conditions and continue to do so for the lifetime of the development. If it still doesn't meet with the technical requirements, they will continue with the suspension, the site would not be operational."
Debating the plan, Cllr Barry Woodhouse said: "It's a case of suck it and see. We should and will get the data of any analysis.
"If it can be cured then fair enough. If it can't be cured then I would hope that the Environment Agency will come down with the full force of its powers."
Councillors voted unanimously to approve the plans. Outside the meeting, Dr Stitt said he expected the outcome: "Our experience is that neither body [Stockton Council and Environment Agency] is fast to respond. I would not say I'm optimistic that we will achieve any speedy resolution, but the one safeguard is they will not have the licence restored until they've demonstrated they can achieve the low levels."
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