Warehouse neighbours claim Whistl work causing ‘dreadful racket’

David Gerrard, 47, lives with his wife and three children bordering the site and said he has not been able to open windows in the recent heat due to the noise.

They moved into a rent-to-buy home in 2019 and put “all their money into a dream house”, he said.

But their home is now directly opposite the warehouse site and the “noise from the wagons is incredible”, he said.

“It’s always there, you can’t get away from it. You wake up, open your windows and it’s there. I come home and it’s looming over my house.

“It’s now worth less than what we paid for, I’d sell for peanuts.”

Both Gerrard and Retford agreed there was no way for the site to operate that would reduce noise to a satisfactory level for residents, while allowing Whistl to run its business effectively.

Amanda Robinson said it is “unavoidable noise based on the industry and there is never going to be a compromise that works for everyone”.

She said she is afraid about what will happen if Whistl is given a permanent licence.

The Whistl spokesperson said it was monitoring the noise levels with equipment installed on acoustic fencing by points closest to the homes.

“We will continue to listen and make changes where practicable as we appreciate the strength of feeling amongst the community over the new business park,” they said.

In a statement Wigan Council said the authority had reached out to Whistl and “will be working with them and local residents to look at options to help mitigate any ongoing operational concerns at the site”.