Meeting 10th June 2009…

A meeting was held at the laundry today. Present were Mr. Jonathan Cooper (Engineering Director), Mr. Paul Pearson (Laundry General Manager), Councillor Gordon Hook and, Les Edgecumbe (Resident). Items discussed were: 1) Schedule for Phase 2 painting of roof and chimney,

2) Request for samples of the Topiary Green chosen by residents to ensure accuracy,

3) Explanation of why only recently steam has been emitted from the chimney stack,

4) Re request notice of impending steam tests, and explanation of any inadvertent steam emissions,

5) To re-establish agreed line of communication which have ceased since departure of the previous Manager Mr. Chris Foulkes.

All points were discussed and full details will be posted here when there is fuller information available (Mr Cooper is going to contact us later with dates). Briefly line of communication have been re-made and our contact is now Mr. J Cooper. He has agreed to supply panels which demonstrate the colour of choice prior to giving the green light to the painting operation. They are already in contact with their contractors.

Fuller details will be posted just as soon as they arrive.

Cllr Hook and Laundry Managers to meet…

Cllr Hook and Les Edgecumbe are due to meet with the laundry management next week to re establish the previous lines of communication, which had evaporated on the departure of the Manager Chris Foulkes. We shall be meeting with Mr Jonathan Cooper and Mr Paul Pearson. The main subject will be the Phase 2 painting project. This covers the roof and chimney stack of the building. The residents choice of colour was ‘Topiary Green’, which I have a sample of and will present to the Management with a hope of seeing some samples before they arrange the actual painting.
More details will be posted after the meeting. If you have any questions/comments you would like brought to their attention both myself and Cllr Hook will glady do this.

Cllr Gordon Hook re-elected

Gordon Hook retained his Devon County Council seat at yesterdays election. Congratulations.

08Jan09 night steam emmisions noise

08Jan09:

Les

I believe that you have a contact with the CLS manager and I would appreciate if you could pass on my displeasure to him, I had an appointment in Penzance this morning but I have canceled that as I do not feel safe driving there and back without any sleep not only a danger to myself but other road users especially under the present road conditions.

Every five minutes throughout the night the valves were vented and did not stop until around 7am this morning no doubt when someone who knew what they were doing arrived at work. I appreciate that there is probably or at least I hope there is a fault with the valve what I do not understand why the fault was not shut down straight away and would like an explanation from them.

For a few pounds I can get details of all the directors and secretaries of Sunlight from Companies House along with their addresses and contact numbers and unless I get an assurance that any future faults will be dealt with straight away and not let to go on all night I will contact each and every person listed at the same intervals as the valves going off.

Whilst I am happy with all the progress that has been made with the company this sort of thing can cause a big set back.

Being self employed it has cost me money by having to cancel my meeting and unless I can get an assurance from the company as to their future dealing with faults at night I will instruct my solicitor to recover my looses from the company.

I am sorry to sound so bitter but that is how I feel at present.

Bleary eyed

Holger =======================

Les,

I am currently on the Isle of Wight covering for sickness of 2 senior members of staff but I have spoken with Paul Pearson at Newton Abbot who says that they are aware of the problem and are dealing with it. We are asking Zurich who handle the legal and insurance position on the boilers to raise the pressure at which the safety valves start to lift to avoid this problem in the future. I will keep you aware of progress on this aspect.

Please can you apologise to the resident as we do wish to be a responsible member of the local community.

The problem was not one we could have foreseen and could have advised.

Will contact you soon over progress.

Chris Foulkes General Manager, Sunlight Laundry==============

Dear Mr Edgecumbe,

 

Thank you for alerting my colleagues at our Newton Abbot factory to the overnight noise that has occurred recently.  May I first apologise for the disruption that we may have inadvertently caused.  To explain in brief, we have two steam boilers on site, and one boiler is used to operate the plant with another on stand-by.  For maintenance purposes, we have this week changed to using the stand by boiler as the lead boiler and have encountered an unforeseen problem.

 

The team on site have today made some adjustments to stop any repetition with the stand-by boiler, and these adjustments will be verified by our insurers (statutory for pressure vessels) and myself early next week, and hence I expect no further overnight problems during the working week as of Monday.

 

May I also add, that we are in the process of implementing a plan for scaling back the overnight operation which will significantly reduce the risk of “nuisance” in our immediate environment.  This plan should be fully implemented over the coming month.

 

I hope this answers your query, and again I can only apologise for this unfortunate occurrence.  If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jonathan Cooper

Engineering Director

Linen Services

 ===============

10Jan09:

 

Dear Mr Cooper,

Thank you for your email with the explanation of events over at the laundry a couple of nights ago. I will pass this on to residents immediately.

For clarification can you please confirm that once the new safety lift levels of both boilers is set to the new parameters that bar an accident or test procedure that this sort of emission should not recurr. A new relationship/era is beginning with the laundry and we residents wish to maintain this as much as your management do.

 

Best regards,

 

Les Edgecumbe.=================

Dear Mr Edgecumbe
I can confirm that under normal operation there should be no problem with the safety valves, and as I stated yesterday, when the adjustments have been made there should be no further unplanned lifting of the safety valves, particularly overnight.
 
I will confirm to you when I am satisfied that we have completed the necessary adjustments for a permanent solution.
 
Regards
Jonathan Cooper
Sunlight Textile Services
Linen Division===============

 

Hi Les

I appreciate what id being said but why can they not shut down once the problem  arises instead of letting it go on for hours during the night as I have said before they must be insured for business interruption which will cover it.

Regards

Holger

 

In a message dated 09/01/2009 14:14:47 GMT Standard Time, les.edgecumbe@btinternet.com writes:

09Jan09  14:10

 

Thank you for your email, just received. I have forwarded it on to residents.

 

It is a great shame that this has occured when things seemed to be getting so much better, and it is to be hoped that a solution will indeed be found to prevent a repetition.  This has been the explanation previously, so is it an on-going matter, and if so why is it taking so long?

 

Regards,

What is “The Blot on the Landscape”

Comments to Herald Express 12Nov08..

• Thank you Sunlight & the pressure group – The outlook is much better now, after years of eyesore. It’s just a shame that it has taken so much time and effort (and a change in ownership) to correct the original error.

  Nick, Aller Park

  commented on 13-Nov-2008 16:54

• Paul, you should research your subject before you open your big mouth and put your foot in it !
  I was the originator of the complaint about the laundry, Les was also a complainant separately to me, and we joined forces to take the Council to the Ombudsman, and won. This is an ongoing scheme since the Laundry was commenced, it hasn’t just happened. The original owners of the laundry should have done what the new owners “Sunlight” have done and there would not have been any complaint then, but the Council did not pursue the problem, they thought we would go away. I did, I sold up and left !

  Mike, Bishopsteignton (ex Allerbrake Road)

  commented on 13-Nov-2008 12:22

  Whinger, Newton Abbot, Newton Abbot

  commented on 12-Nov-2008 18:13
• With regard to Paul’s comments regarding the laundry he quite clearly has no understanding of the matter.

  barrie, Newton Abbot

  commented on 13-Nov-2008 11:31

  I suggest he gets himself up to speed on the issues involved before he makes such crass remarks in the future .
  The current laundry management and the people representing the residents of Aller Park ,Newton Abbot have made the best of a poor lot.
  and it was acheived without any uninformed help from people living outside the area.

• So someone with a view (sic) different to yours (Paul) is automatically a whinging idiot. A very strange/eliteist outlook.
  Can’t you be constructive?? For your information we residents have a very good working relationship with the Management over there – and your petty grousing doesn’t really affect or contribute anything to the matter. Move on to the sports pages eh?
• I am one of the ‘whinging idiots’. If the Council had done their job properly and put the conditions that they were supposed to put on the planning permission there would never have been a problem in the first place – and there would have been little additional cost for the company. If more people cared about the environment where they lived and took steps to improve things then we would all benefit from living in a more pleasant environment. Also, I don’t live in Torquay so it doesn’t matter much to me what the complaints of residents are there. Different things matter to different people. Just because I may not agree with what other people are doing does not mean that I would call them whinging idiots.

  Sarah, Newton Abbot

  commented on 12-Nov-2008 17:29

  I am proud of what the residents of Aller and the local councillors have achieved. It’s a pity more people do not take stand to sort out the issues in their own areas and make them a better place to live.

• Now if they could only manage to keep their lorrys out of the Lane at rush hour that would be an achievement. I cant count the times I’ve had to wait for 20 mins to get past a big blue road block.

  Gareth, Plainmoor

  commented on 12-Nov-2008 13:02
• I thought CLS were supposed to blend the building in to the area when they built it.

  B, Torbay.

  commented on 12-Nov-2008 11:44
• My God! We have a successful business in the area that provides employment for I dont know how many locals, but I’m guessing hundreds, and you have locals whinging about the colour of the building!!! Lobbying to get the owners to pay thousands to redecorate!! In this current economic climate I applaude the owners patience and understanding…Personally I would of told the whinging idiots to take a run and jump and put things into perspective!!

  Paul, Torquay

  commented on 12-Nov-2008 09:34
• >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
• Factory ‘cover up’ given the thumbs up

  Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 09:07

   

• The bright-white appearance of CLS Laundry at Decoy has been toned down to blend in with the surrounding green land.

  The £55,000 revamp has resulted in the factory’s new brown colour — and it has delighted residents who have long complained the plant was an eyesore.

  Next May, when the weather is warmer, the roof will be repainted green, effectively ‘camouflaging’ the building.

  The work has been the result of a joint partnership between residents, ward councillor Gordon Hook, who contributed £1,000 from a special Devon County Council fund, and laundry company Sunlight.

  Lobbyist Les Edgecumbe, of Aller Park Road, said: “The Sunlight management is to be congratulated on its efforts and a number of grateful comments have been received here.

  “The residents should also be congratulated, along with ward councillors, for their steadfastness in obtaining the final result. The effort of the Aller Park Residents Action Group is also appreciated.”

  Sunlight’s group human resources director Martin Roberts said: “Certainly the number of emails we have received, and we have received a lot, without exception have been delighted with it so far.

  “We have completed the work we said we would do, which has been the side elevations, and the roof will take about two or three weeks to complete next May. We will then have a factory which blends in with the surrounding area.”

   

   

Phase 1 Painting now completed.

The first phase of the painting has been completed. This covers the 2 elevations viewable from Aller Park and the A380 road. Phase 2 will commence next year commesurate with good weather.

The Management are to be congratulated on their efforts, and a number of grateful comments have been received here. The residents should also be congratulated, along with Ward Councillors, for their steadfastness in obtaining the final result. The efforts of the Aller Park Residents Action Group are also appreciated.

It beggars belief why residents have had to walk the walk, tread the treadmill and suffer other inconveniences and indignities from Teignbridge District Council who have a well paid, but incompetent Planning Department. This could and should have been insisted upon at the initial planning application – what else is this Department in existence for? May they and  Councillors involved in the initial decision making hang their heads in shame!                     Some chance.

Painting commenced- – -

29Sep2008:~   the Boiler House has now had its top coat!

Boiler House 29Sep08

Scaffolding erected – 23Sept2008

Scaffolding was being erected today  in the area of the loading bays.

The first objective is cleaning of the elevations, followed by the actual painting work.

It is hoped to keep a photographic diary of the work and then to produce an animated journal on completion of each phase.

13th August Minutes of Meeting of Residents (paintwork)

 

 

 

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT ST. LUKE’S CHURCH HALL

ON WEDNESDAY 13^TH AUGUST 2008

REGARDING THE SUNLIGHT LAUNDRY

 

 

Present:     Alastair Johns – Chairman:

                  Leslie Edgecumbe – Organiser

                  Cllr. Gordon Hook

                  Cllr. David Corney-Walker

 

The meeting was notified, with approximately 10 days notice, to over 200 residents of Aller Park by use of letter box drops, e-mail, web site, and signs posted on telephone kiosks/telegraph poles, and lamp standards. The whole of Aller Park Road, parts of St. Lukes Road and Addison Road, Aller Brake Road, along with a near full coverage of Ridgeway Road were made.

 

The meeting started at 19.20

 

 

53 Members of the public attended the meeting, the majority from the Aller Park area of Newton Abbot. There were actual sign-ins of 43, plus 10 people who appeared in the head count but had not signed the book.

 

Chairman A. Johns commenced with a brief history of the laundry campaign, commencing with the first meeting in 2004 when it was owned by CLS.  In 2006 Sunlight purchased the laundry from CLS.

 

It was made very clear during the meeting by the Chairman, Cllr Hook and, L. Edgecumbe that this was a one off choice for the residents. On making the choice and thence advising the Sunlight Directors, should the painting be completed as promised, then there would be no place for complaint to the management.

 

The purpose of the meeting was to choose a paint colour for the exterior of the Sunlight Laundry building.  Various paint sample books and sheets were available and passed around.  Photographs of the Buckland Water Treatment Works and graphics of the Sunlight laundry coloured in various shades were exhibited.

 

L. Edgecumbe thanked everyone for attending and supporting the campaign over the years, particularly the councillors who had been very helpful at all times.

He cited the Water Treatment Works at Buckland as a good example of a reasonable camouflage colour scheme with different shades of green on various elevations.

 

The Chairman advised attendees that colours can and may look different, when used in an application, from the specific samples in the catalogue, and would be affected by ageing.

 

G. Hook advised that there was now a good dialogue between the residents and the laundry – thanks to Mr. Edgecumbes’ work.  Sunlight had pointed out they did not want to paint the building but would do it as a negotiated favour and to be “good neighbours”. Cllr. Hook has obtained a cheque for £10,000 from Devon County Council towards the painting costs. If a colour is agreed promptly Sunlight may be able to carry out half of the work before Christmas and the other half in April/May 2009.  It was understood by G. Hook and L. Edgecumbe from a prior meeting with Sunlight that 2 elevations (those facing Aller Park and Sainsburys’, roof, doors, and the chimney would be painted, with the exception of the elevation facing the Kingskerswell Road and the external brickwork of the Admin. area.

 

 

As part of the negotiations the Sunlight directors wanted:-

·         To install some low level/low intensity bollard lighting (approximately 2ft. 6ins. high) facing the laundry to aid pedestrian visibility in their car parks.  This probably would not require planning permission, and is a result of a Health and Safety incident.

·         A reduction in the speed limit on the country road on which the laundry entrance is sited.  Devon County Council had suggested this could be possible.

 

They also advised the colour of their vehicles would be gradually changing to white with a yellow logo over a period of 3 to 4 years. Only new vehicles would be in the new livery – current vehicles would not be repainted. It is to be hoped that the ‘Screening Trees’ would have, by then, established and capable of obscuring the majority of vehicles.

 

One person on the floor stated that a paint specialist should have been available at the meeting. Due to an ongoing debate with the Chairman and another members’ question simultaneously, it was not possible to reply to this questioner.

(Editor: However, it should be pointed out here that this would have required a fee, to which residents would have had to contribute, and we were there only to discuss choice of colours – not the technicalities of paintworking).

 

Mr. J. Steer of Addison Road queried whether the large blue doors were to be included in the painting scheme. L. Edgecumbe replied that he thought it was the case, but would confirm with the management as soon as possible. This was done the next day and Mr. Steer advised by telephone that the doors were included in the scheme.

 

L. Edgecumbe advised the floor that the exterior of the building was laminated steel which required a special type of paint and method of application. Several manufacturers colour charts were on hand for comparison etc. These were for reference only as the actual paint to be used would have to be especially sourced.

 

It was proposed and seconded that the colours should be shades of green and the paint in a matt finish.  The roof and chimney should be in a darker shade than the side elevations.  A vote was taken and the show of hands indicated the vast majority agreed with these suggestions.

 

A colour called Topiary Green from the ‘HomeBase Classic’ colour chart was suggested for the roof and chimney.  A vote was taken and the show of hands indicated the majority agreed with this suggestion. (7 votes = Too dark. 4 votes = Too light, Majority agreed as satisfactory).

 

A vote was taken on a choice of 5 shades of green suggested by the floor of the meeting from the colour charts available, and also the unnamed “Hybrid” colour in a picture of the laundry supplied by Sunlight and exhibited in the room.  A further vote was taken on the 2 shades that had received the most votes (Proposal 1/’Sisal’ in ‘HomeBase Classic’ colour chart = 14 votes. Proposal 6/”Hybrid” as per the management supplied photograph = 21 votes), A. Johns having verified all persons had seen the colour on the laundry picture.  The majority voted by a show of hands for the “Hybrid” colour in the picture.

 

In summary the colours agreed were:-

·         A colour called Topiary Green from the ‘HomeBase Classic’ colour chart for the roof and chimney.

·         The “Hybrid” colour in a picture of the laundry supplied by Sunlight and exhibited in the room for the side elevations and doors.

 

 

G. Hook and L. Edgecumbe would advise the laundry of the colours selected by the residents who attended the meeting. They would be having discussions at a date to be fixed, but as soon as possible in order to progress the work.

 

The Chairman thanked all attendees for their contribution to the meeting.

 

The meeting ended at 20.35.

 

 

Signed:…………………….. A. Johns (Chairman).    ……………………L. Edgecumbe (Organiser).

 

Date:………………………..

  

 

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