SIGNIFICANT concerns have been raised about lorries rumbling down streets 24 hours per day, 365 days per year if Oikos gets the go-ahead for a planned revamp.

The storage facility, in Haven Road, Canvey, is seeking planning permission to go through with a major overhaul.

This included building a new deep water jetty facility and to refurbish 12 storage tanks at its compound.

It has stated the project will not increase the overall capacity of the site.

However, Environmental Health, having been given the opportunity to comment on the application, believes further permission should have been sought through an Environmental Impact Assessment before any final decision is made.

This assessment examines the anticipated environmental effects of a proposed project.

In its report, submitted to Castle Point Council, Environmental Health concludes that there are “significant environmental effects”.

Castle Point Council’s Environmental Health service aims to promote and protect the health of the people who live, work in and visit the island.

Scott Grant, environmental health team leader, wrote in his report: “Environmental Health believes that there is a very real potential for nuisance from noise and vibration caused by HGVs entering the site on a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week

basis.

“The nuisance is likely to affect residential properties to the south west of the main access and also to premises in the Ormsby Road/Coker Road area.

“Insufficient information has been provided in the report to make an informed opinion.

“In particular, no ambient or background noise levels throughout the night (the most quiet time) have been provided for the nearest noise sensitive premises at these locations.

“There are no details about the number of HGVs currently accessing the site or using Roscommon Way and Haven Road closest to the two residential areas detailed above.

“There is also real potential for nuisance from the lighting scheme to be used and the pumps during operation to the residential properties to the south west of the site. Therefore, Environmental Health recommends that a full Environmental Impact

Assessment be carried out.”

He also raised concerns about the proposed hours of construction, saying they would be “unacceptable if they were audible at the site boundary”.

It also said that lighting proposals were “vague” and requested more information about the plans.