RESIDENTS of Ewelme claim lorries are thundering through the village, causing them sleepless nights.

The trucks travel to and from a storage site for road recycling materials on the edge of the village.

But residents say the volume is greater than the seven lorries that are allowed in and out between 7am and 7pm under planning rules. Brian Thompson, of Green Lane, said: “This historic village, used regularly for filming Midsomer Murders, will soon be more suitable for filming horror movies.

On Saturday, we had in excess of 85 lorries thunder past our house between 1.15am and 5pm.”

One resident was so angry at his sleep being disturbed that he followed a lorry through the night to see where it went and discovered the likely source was roadworks on the A404 near Maidenhead. Peter Lemaire, chairman of Ewleme Parish Council, accused operator Hazell & Jefferies of flouting the terms of its certificate of lawfulness development for years.


“It should be banned from trading there,” he said. “Now the problem has suddenly got much worse and unless villagers protest vigorously it will be allowed to make our lives a misery.”

Oxfordshire county councillor Tony Crabbe, who has fought for the restrictions to be enforced, said he was disappointed at the apparent lack of response. He said: “It makes a mockery of the planning system and someone should be held responsible.” Frank Dixon, a planning adviser for Hazell & Jefferies, denied there had been any rule breaches.

He added: “The waste transfer station plays a vital role in managing and recycling inert waste produced from a variety of sources in Berkshire and Oxfordshire. The site is ideally situated for its purpose — it is well away from residential areas.”

Published 24/08/09