Your World of Legal Intelligence
 United Kingdom | +44 (0) 20 7284 8080

Midlothian church ordered to close after noise complaints from local residents

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date21 June 2022
Salem International Christian Centre had promised to stop drum playing and noise but councillors still rejected its planning appeal

It has been operating from Lawrie Terrace, Loanhead, and applied for retrospective planning permission for a change of use of the former storage unit from Midlothian Council.

However planners rejected the application after receiving complaints from residents who said they were unable to use their gardens and had complained to the council and police about noise, parking and abuse from churchgoers.

The church argued that it had taken steps to address noise issue even removing drums from the building and they urged a meeting of the council's Local Review Body to overturn the decision

In a statement they said they had taken action to mitigate noise from the centre as well as instructing users to park in nearby streets.

They said a report by sound experts EH Acoustics had said that "if complied fully, and the drums removed, this would meet standards".

They added: "These works were completed on 30/11/2021."

The church described itself as a religious charity.

It said: "Salem have given a source of support to local families through their activities.

"There have been complaints of noise at times, however they have engaged specialists, specialists who survey churches for sound reduction measures, and taken the mitigation steps recommended."

The review body was told up to 60 people at any one time attended events at the church which was accessed through a communal path past homes and sat in the middle of residential flats and houses.

Councillor Colin Cassidy, review body member, said the change from a warehouse to potentially 60...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT