Air pump din ‘must stop’, angry Inverness neighbours demand amid row over illegally-placed heat pump at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Highland Council officers liaising with church
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NEIGHBOURS in a conservation area near Inverness city centre are in uproar after discovering they were being kept awake since last September by an illegally-placed heat pump.
People living on Warrand Road are now asking Highland Council to stop The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints using its commercial air source heat pump until a decision is made on its future.
A retrospective planning application for the heat pump was lodged with the local authority in November.
Environmental health officers are asking for the application to be refused, unless strict low level noise rules can be adhered to.
A noise report into the heat pump shows it is working at 10 decibels higher than advised by the manufacturer, making it unacceptably high for a residential area.
In a report to Highland Council, environmental health officers said: “The unit has been the subject of several complaints about noise from neighbouring residents and this service has had a number of discussions and site visits with the applicant and their representatives.
“The applicant is currently looking into options for noise mitigation measures and this service can assist in compliance monitoring however, in terms of the application this service would object until such time as it is demonstrated that the ASHP can comply with the relevant standards.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints was contacted for a comment, but had not replied at the time of going to press.
