Noise nuisance

SIR, — I wish to express my concern on environmental issues on Nomansland Common. The first two issues are concerning noise. Since Christmas there have been explosive bird scarers operating from Hill End Farm and West End Farm both adjoining Nomansland. T

SIR, - I wish to express my concern on environmental issues on Nomansland Common. The first two issues are concerning noise.

Since Christmas there have been explosive bird scarers operating from Hill End Farm and West End Farm both adjoining Nomansland. These are set off at firework intensity every 30 minutes or so from sunrise to sunset and provide a noise nuisance both to users of the common and adjacent properties.

Contact has been made with The Woodland Trust which owns Hill End Farm and the farm managers, currently to no avail, and St Albans District Council are considering statutory noise-nuisance action.

While I accept that birds are harmful to crops and countryside living requires a certain element of agricultural noise, the mode of operation of these bird scarers is contrary to the National Farmers Union Code of Practice, particularly with respect to timing and duration.

There is also an ongoing issue with the noise and other hazards caused by the flying of model aircraft adjacent to the car park and busiest area of use of the common.

It seems unfair that the enjoyment and tranquillity of a large number of users of the common can be disturbed by one or two individuals flying aircraft that can be heard clearly over half-a-mile from the operating site. It is also uncomfortable to have these aircraft flying low over the walking and horseriding fraternities without due regard to health and safety considerations.

There was great publicity last year on the Woodland Trust planting a new forest north of Sandridge. Last week the district council chopped down dozens of healthy trees on the common as part of their "management plan" which appears to be totally incongruous.

The Nomansland Joint Management Committee, which is meant to control this activity, seems powerless to prevent the Countryside Management Services Department of the district council continuing with this wholesale vandalism of the common.

The Nomansland Management Committee has been decimated by the resignation of Sandridge councillors due to non-agreement of grazing issues. It would benefit from strengthening, possibly by non-council representation, to more boldly address these issues. The next meeting of the committee is on April 2 and I would be pleased to co-ordinate any comments on the above to present to the chairman. Interested parties may contact me at j.stocker@ukonline.co.uk

JOHN STOCKER,

Nomansland, Wheathampstead.