IPSWICH: About 100 angry residents flocked to the IP-City Centre to protest about noise and dust from operations on the docks.

IPSWICH: About 100 angry residents flocked to the IP-City Centre to protest about noise and dust from operations on the docks.

The meeting was called by Ipswich council as anger rose about the noise from operations at the Southern Cement plant on Cliff Quay and other industrial centres in the area.

Borough environment chief Dr Matthew Ling told the meeting that although nine officers had made 30 visits following complaints about Southern Cement, the council did not believe its operations constituted a “Statutory Nuisance.”

He said: “That does not mean there is nothing that can be done or that we don't accept there is a problem and we want to work with residents and the companies to solve these issues.”

Dr Ling said the meeting was an opportunity for the council and residents to find out what the problems were - there would be no firm solutions on the night.

Southern Cement issued a statement at the meeting saying that the company unloads three vessels a month and which causes noise for about 36 hours at a time.

But it was looking at ways of reducing the noise and was hoping to make life easier for its neighbours.

Protestor Peter Evans said people from The Strand, Wherstead Road, and Stoke Park had been affected by the noise and the dust from cement plant.

Other people were concerned about Dunn Bros scrapyard on the West Bank of the Orwell.

Richard Dunn, Commodore of the Orwell Yacht Club, said the dust from the scrapyard was a hazard for boat owners - and had called in the Environment Agency.

He said: “Last Wednesday I came to the club for a meeting. As I came to the roundabout at the entrance to the West Dock it looked like bonfire night!”

The Agency issued a statement saying they had been first called in at the beginning of September and were working with the operators of the scrapyard to try to reduce the dust problem.