SPECIAL noise-dampening fences need to be installed along a Cowley street to protect residents from loud deliveries, according to a local councillor.

David Henwood raised the plight of constituents last month who had been left struggling with ‘sleep deprivation’ and ‘ill health’ due to early morning lorries at Templars Shopping Park that breached planning guidelines.

He said he had often been contacted by residents along Rymers Lane plagued by the disturbances, exacerbated by the recent addition of a malfunctioning loudspeaker playing a recorded message about CCTV.

At the time he explained the situation was enabled by a broken lock at the delivery yard, saying: “I have tried many times to get the gates repaired, and even visited the site in the early hours to confront the lorry drivers and stop them from entering.

“It worked for a time, but I feel a more drastic action is needed.”

The Cowley councillor has now revealed there had been some good news for those frustrated by the noise, which regularly breached the 7am start for deliveries and waste collection.

He said: “After a year of inactivity, resulting neighbours sleep deprivation, the management of the Temple Retail Park have finally locked the gate on Rymers Lane.”

The councillor has taken to doing a daily check at 6:30am and said he was ‘pleasantly surprised’ on Thursday morning to see the gate locked.

He said: “A simple padlock has been fitted, and we are reassured the gate won’t be open until 7am.”

Though the city councillor said he welcomed the move he said still more needed to be done to protect those who live closest to the retail park.

He explained: “Although the padlock represents a step in the right direction, the key to a better quality of life will be in solving the noise generated from the site which still exceeds 45 decibels.

“This level of noise is the standard across an industrial zone located close to a residential area.

“So the next phase of the campaign will be to lobby the management committee to erect acoustic fencing along the perimeter of the shared boundary with residents.”

He added: “Why this wasn’t achieved in the original planning application has to be questioned and investigated.”

Acoustic fencing, usually made from wood though sometimes with additional fibre layers, acts as an additional barrier to noise pollution and according to leading manufacturer Jacksons can block up to 28 decibels.

The barrier reflects the noise away from the fence by using heavy sections of interlocking timber boards, which eliminate gaps that sound can easily travel through.