Residents and the council have rounded on a Harold Hill steelworks accused of blighting the lives of its neighbours by operating outside licensed hours.
Emma Randall, 38, who lives with her young family on Pearcy Close, claims sounds including clattering girders, grinding, forklifts reversing and workers shouting are often audible from nearby AGP Steel early in the morning and late at night.
“It’s horrendous. It’s got to the point where I could cry,” said the mother-of-two.
“Sometimes I’ve had enough and I take my kids to my friend’s for the weekend.
“I’m up early doing work but it still wakes me.”
She added: “When my baby was newborn, getting him to have a nap during the day was nigh-on impossible. It’s like living on a construction site.”
Havering Council confirmed it had received complaints over noise and working times and said it would “not tolerate” continued breaches of the steel yard’s planning conditions.
Cabinet member for regulatory services Osman Dervish said: “We have served notices on the owners of the metal works following complaints of noise and their working times which are in breach of their planning conditions.
“We are aware that these notices are being ignored and we will not tolerate this.
“We need the support from residents to make sure that this can’t go on as they are our eyes and ears in the community.”
“We expect all businesses in the borough to comply with their conditions and respect their neighbours.”
When contacted, AGP Steel, situated on Spilsby Road, declined to comment.
On its website, it describes itself as “a fabrication specialist” offering “a supply and installation service for everything from temporary works steel to architectural metalwork”.
Its About Us section reads: “The yard, with its dedicated team of workers operates between 7am and 5pm, five days a week, ensuring the high demands and often tight deadlines of our clients are met.
“Our fleet of lorries are often on the roads six days a week, with the delivery team working constantly to deliver your steel on time.”
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