Sandhoe Community

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Egger Liaison Group meeting report 27 March 2008


 Subject: RE: EGGER MARCH 2008
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:27:16 +0100
From: Janet.Rix@egger.com
To: griggbill@live.co.uk
CC: Simon.Dotlinger@egger.com; paul.turner@egger.com; andrew.billings@egger.com

Dear Bill,
 
Simon has checked the attached report, prepared by John Pennie, following the meeting held on 27th March.  He is in agreement with most of the points as represented, but makes the following amendment to point number 5:
5.    Egger aims for the old site to be cleared by early to mid Autumn.  However, the planning condition states that from the date of the hand-over of the supplier to Egger, there is an eighteen-month time frame for the demolition of the old equipment to be completed, which would be 31st March 2009.  The old WESP chimney and press scrubber chimney have not been in operation since 31st October 2007.
Could you please ensure this amendment is communicated to John Pennie, and all recipients of the original report.  Please also amend point number 5 of the report if it has already been published on your parish web site.
 
Thank you.
 
Best regards,
 
Janet
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: bill grigg [mailto:griggbill@live.co.uk] 
Sent: 28 March 2008 10:28
To: Elaine's mail; Jean Fearon; mark-baxter@tiscali.co.uk; niel.fearon@tiscali.co.uk; Peter; Rix Janet; Rob
Subject: FW: EGGER MARCH 2008




From: marion@pennie.entadsl.com (John Pennie's home email address?)
To: griggbill@live.co.uk
CC: john.pennie@dickinson-dees.com
Subject: EGGER MARCH 2008
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:23:46 +0000

Dear Bill,

 I set out below my Report from the update meeting with the 3 senior representatives of Egger which took place on 27th March at 4pm at Egger’s factory.

1         The works to silence the main log handling plant fall into 2 parts. The first part has been completed ,as promised , with the construction of a tunnel structure  over the main log  feeder  . That tunnel has been insulated  with special noise reducing material.

2         The second phase has just been approved at main board level. It involves the commissioning, at a cost of about £1m, of a log handling feeding system designed by leading manufacturers Holtec , to cope specifically with the smaller logs that are used by Egger so as  to ensure that they are more tightly and uniformly loaded than has been the case up until now. The second phase is designed to help reduce noise and to enable much more efficient working. It is destined to be finished by mid to late Autumn2008.

3         The main benefit  of the new systems  will be much less noise and fewer loud bangs and rumbles .These latter  are caused by the present uneven way in which the log handling machinery operates. The main by-product will be the eventual  ability to stop working through the night every night.  Perhaps 6 hours downtime each night can be achieved once the throughput is more efficiently and quietly loaded.

4         All loading shovel operators are now familiar with the rules on night time working and the use of flashing lights rather than reversing sirens

5         The old site will be cleared by early to mid Autumn. The old WESP chimney has not operated for many months

6          The new chimney is at its final height.

7         The maintenance teams are on duty round the clock with the result that incidents are now very rare, whereas a few years ago they were occurring regularly

8         Plant downtimes are likely to happen every 6 months or so for routine assessment and certain maintenance procedures. Otherwise closures are likely to be kept to a minimum and only occur if there is a problem.

9         There are no plans to find other sites in or around Hexham and there are no plans to go into production in volumes greater than those set out in the current licence application. Said licence is due to be issued imminently and when it is issued the plant will operate under it rather than under the present extended earlier licence. There has been no period of “unlicensed “ activity.

10     Sawdust is all under cover. Very occasionally the sewage treatment plant people ( nearest neighbours)  complain about dust , but these complaints are dealt with as soon as practicable and relations are broadly good. No other dust complaints have been received by Egger in recent months  . Egger do not concede that hack chips are a major source of dust and say that there is no evidence of any dust from hack chips making it to anywhere near the residences in Oakwood

11     At the board meeting when the Holtec contract was approved ( see 2 above ) the board also decided to be supportive of the request made by us at the first meeting in January  that Egger should make a substantial contribution to the cost of the tree screening strips due to be planted in the fields that lie between Oakwood and the plant. Egger management requested that the group send them a worked example and basic financial costings for the tree scheme with some outline plans showing likely locations. We said we would do this during April and May  ,and a small working party chaired by John Pennie will produce this information. 

A further meeting is scheduled for the end of July 2008. 

This Report can be discussed at the Annual Parish Meeting next month if the community so requests

 

John Pennie 27 March 2008