Complaints of noise at Willenhall ambulance depot
An investigation has been launched amid claims an ambulance hub in Willenhall is in breach of planning permission, with residents complaining about noise from the site.
It was opened at Electrium Point as a maintenance and preparation base but residents say they are suffering sleepless nights from sirens as vehicles leave the site.
Walsall Council has launched an enforcement investigation, although West Midlands Ambulance Service bosses insist steps are being taken to resolve the issue.
Officers at the council are recommending members of the council's planning committee do not initiate formal enforcement action at this stage until the inquiry into the Ashmore Lake Way site is completed.
In a report to councillors, head of planning David Elsworthy writes: "The alleged breach is that without the required planning permission the West Midlands Ambulance Service are dispatching ambulances on emergency responses from the ambulance maintenance hub.
"Whilst residents have provided evidence of ambulances potentially being dispatched for emergency responses using their sirens from the maintenance hub on Ashmore Lake Way and whilst officers have carried out some monitoring and served a Planning Contravention Notice already, the results have so far proved inconclusive.
"The serving of a new PCN with more directed questions asking for WMAS records will assist in bringing the enforcement case to a conclusion."
The hub, which launched last November, is home to a team of ambulance fleet assistants who stock, clean and prepare ambulances in preparation for paramedics.
Planning permission was granted for a two-storey building and associated office space. The intention is for vehicles to be collected and then move off site to stand-by station points to respond to calls.
However, residents have voiced concerns over ambulances responding straight to calls from the hub, rather than only in the cases of nearby emergencies.
West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Chris Kowalik said: "There has been work going on with our control room to use the hub in the way it is supposed to be.
"We have been working on reducing 999 responses from the hub and they have been going down."
