Following complaints and concerns from residents in Castletown who have reported cars, gardens and washing regularly being covered in fine wood particles and sticky residue with some describing the dust “raining down like snow.” issue that having been ongoing for a few years but have now been linked to a nearby factory carrying out a wood shaving drying process.
Following a social media group been set up and a growing number of residents raising issues Westmorland and Furness council issue an abatement notice and demand action to reduce emissions.
In response, A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products applied for a Certificate of Proposed Lawfulness to install dust abatement equipment at its depot on Haweswater Road, The company plan have now received approval from the council to install two large air filter units — known as ‘Modulair’ units — which will connect to the site’s existing exhaust system.
The new system designed to fully contain and filter the hot air used to dry wood shavings, preventing dust from escaping into the surrounding area. The filtered dust, estimated at around 45kg per day, will be collected in sealed trailers and reused for animal bedding.
The site has been in operation on the industrial estate for nearly 30 years and employs 15 production staff. The company describes the new system as a major investment, with an expected cost of around £500,000.
The council’s planning officer said “A W Jenkinson Forest Products have been in discussions with the Councils Environmental Health Officer (EHO) regarding dust emissions following complaints and an abatement notice. Dust arises from their wood shaving drying operation. Hot air is pushed through perforated belts to dry the shavings then the air is vented to the atmosphere via an external exhaust system. Particulate matter in the vented air has resulted in dust complaints and hence the involvement of the EHO and A W Jenkinson Forest Products proposing to install state of the art dust abatement equipment to address the dust issue.”
“This application is for a Certificate of Lawful Development and is not a matter of considering the planning merits of the scheme. Instead it is a legal determination based upon the facts and evidence presented by the applicant as to whether the proposed development is lawful.”
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