In our street there’s been a housing development going on for what seems like years. I suppose in order to try and beat the property crash the contractors are now working on Saturdays and Sundays. I raised the noise issue with our local council, who to be fair, have a good online form systems and they responded within a day with a very helpful phone call. But guess what. Usually, the council would negotiate with the developers to minimise disruption to local people. In this case, there were a lot of objections to the development and the council held a public enquiry. Based on the opposition to the development, the council refused planning permission.

In steps the ODPM, as was and over-ruled both the views of local people and the local council. This means that there was no negotiation with the council once the development started.

I have checked the Control of Pollution Act 1974 that seems to state that Sunday working is not acceptable unless there are extreme circumstances.

I may be wrong; laws are never written in a language that anyone other than lawyers and judges can really understand.

It also seems that there are clearly one set of laws for developers and profit making companies and another law for everyone else.

The conclusion from the council representative is that there is really nothing anyone can do.

A small footnote; a few years ago, a firm of developers made an application to demolish the local memorial hospital (build after the First World War with public subscription). This was refused, as was the proposal to build on the surrounding allotments. My neighbour led a campaign supported by a petition which literally thousands of people signed. The hospital was burned down in a mysterious fire and completely destroyed. There is now a housing development on the site. The developers got what they wanted.

Makes you wonder exactly how we ‘re-build communities’ when dominated by such cynicism.