UPSET residents have formed an action group to fight a proposal to site a concrete crusher in their Poole neighbourhood.

Hamworthy residents close to Dawkins Road are objecting to plans by Oasis Plant Hire but the company is keen to reassure them the machine will be as far away from them as possible.

The company runs a depot where aggregate is unloaded from trains on the line to the port from Hamworthy Junction, providing stone to Hanson to be used for roads and concrete.

"I have been fighting them for the last 12 months," said Allan Ware of Junction Road. "They are unloading aggregate from trains 30-35 yards from my house and now they want a crushing machine.

"It's a residential area around here. It's not on. Nobody seems to care," said 67-year-old Mr Ware, adding that he and his wife had to leave the house at times.

John Locke, of Galloway Road, said: "The industrial estate in Dawkins Road is supposed to be for light industry and every day we have a train full of gravel being unloaded. We can't hear ourselves speak when they are unloading it."

Ward councillor Lou Knight has taken up the issue and the council's consumer protection department has been called in after complaints about noise.

Mark Frend, director of Oasis, said the mini crusher would be used on concrete brought in by lorries and would operate one or two hours a day.

He said the site had an average of 3.2 trains a week, which arrived at lunchtime and took two hours to unload. "When we were doing 11 a week we never had any complaints at all," he said.

Mr Frend said he would welcome visits by residents to see the site, or they could view the plans at the council's planning department.

First published: October 14