AN extension to an industrial estate has been delayed as councillors investigate building an acoustic barrier to protect neighbours from noise.

More than 10,000 square metres of new warehouses could be built at Blackwater Trading Estate along Heybridge Creek if the application by Aquila EHS is approved.

The applicant is seeking outline permission from the council to build the warehouses over 10,474 square metres of floor space, in addition to vehicle parking.

But Maldon District Council’s central area planning committee voted to defer its decision at a meeting after concerns were raised over the impact on residents living opposite the site in Battle Rise.

The committee also voted in favour of a site visit to witness the existing noise disturbance themselves and to see the location of a proposed off-site footpath and cycle path, which would need to be constructed before work started on the extension.

Maldon South councillor Kevin Lagan told the meeting: “Something going from seven o’clock in the morning until eleven o’clock at night would definitely have a detrimental impact on people’s health and wellbeing.”

He added: “It might be difficult to do, but if it takes we have to defer the application to look at some form of acoustic screening, planting, hedging trees, whatever’s out there.

“Because it’s difficult to do, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it, because we’re talking about the impact on people's lives, and noise, as I well know, is a problem.”

The site is also in Environment Agency flood zone three, the highest risk category, given its proximity to Heybridge Creek.

Maldon North councillor Stephen Nunn added: “This is right on the edge of Heybridge Creek. As far as the site is concerned, it’s the nearest to the river course, so I do remain concerned about flooding.

“Heybridge Creek has become towards its end something of a ditch, but originally it was a main channel and it’s still got the potential to be a main channel with climate change.”

An objection from the Environment Agency with regards to flooding was withdrawn after the applicant changed the layout of the planned extension, providing a 20-metre gap between the edge of the development and the flood defences.

Committee members will now visit the site, then hold another meeting to vote on the proposals later this year.