Project brief: Since March 2008 WBM has advised four operators on adjoining safeguarded wharves next to the River Thames in Greenwich, London. Our first critical input was to prepare a witness statement for submission to the High Court as part of a request for a Judicial Review, to prevent inappropriate residential development that could jeopardise these vital operations.

Acoustic aspects: The wharves are heavy industrial sites with a wide range of industrial activities taking place and accommodating a significant number of large and noise generating items of plant, machinery and vehicles.The operators on the wharves are free to operate at anytime during any given 24 hour period throughout the year. This is particularly important in respect of the importation, discharge and handling of the marine dredged aggregates landed at the jetties, as this activity is dependent on the tide.

Outcome: This essential riverside activity now has to co-exist beside residential accommodation that was granted permission in March 2012, relating to an application by Greenwich Millennium Village Limited (GMV). WBM has continued to work closely with the safeguarded wharf operators, the Port of London Authority, noise consultants acting for GMV and the planning authority to allow these adjacent uses to co-exist with the noise impact minimised as far as possible.