Latest news with #NorthernLeaf
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Intrusive' cannabis farm noise affecting lives
Neighbours of a Jersey medical cannabis farm have said the site has stopped them from enjoying their homes. The States of Jersey Complaints Panel upheld a complaint over how the Infrastructure and Environment Department handled residents' complaints about the noise and smells coming from the Northern Leaf farm in St Lawrence. Roger Nightingale, who lives next to the site, said the noise emitted from the farm was so intrusive it meant he and his partner, Penny Bromley, could not sit in their garden. Environment minister Steve Luce said the government strongly rejected the panel's findings and had put "a lot of resource" into the issues highlighted. The BBC has approached Northern Leaf for comment. Mr Nightingale said a low level noise from the farm was aggravating to deal with. "You can't sit in the garden for a length of time," he said. "There's low-level noise that gives you headaches so you can't have the windows open. "It's really intrusive and affects your lifestyle." Ms Bromley said the issues and "horrendous whirring sound" from the farm had forced her to spend more time away from Jersey. "I can't enjoy my home at all," she said. The panel said the government had taken too long to deal with complaints from residents. It also criticised the government's use of an unjust "sniff test" to decide whether cannabis odours from the farm were a problem. Ms Bromley added that the panel's comments had made complainants like her feel vindicated although she questioned whether it would "make much difference" overall. "I think the farm's either got to be closed down or the noise has to be stopped," she said. More news stories for Jersey Listen to the latest news for Jersey Deputy Hilary Jeune, chair of the environment, housing and infrastructure scrutiny panel, said the complaints had made it clear the island needed an independent public service ombudsman. "We have seen the panel uphold the complaints but the government has pushed back on the recommendations," she said. "The panel doesn't have any power to go further than that." In response to the panel's findings, chief officer of infrastructure and environment Andy Scate said the government "completely refute the suggestion that the department acted contrary to the law or behaved in a way that was unjust". Luce said the government had put in "thousands of hours" of work for years to deal with issues from residents' complaints about the farm. "Unfortunately, we are in a process which becomes protracted and involves appeals, courts and a whole range of things," he said. "But we have to be fair to both sides." Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to States panel upholds cannabis farm complaint Cannabis site ordered to remove unauthorised kit Jersey States votes not to decriminalise cannabis States of Jersey Government of Jersey
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'Intrusive' Jersey cannabis farm noise affecting lives
Neighbours of a Jersey medical cannabis farm have said the site has stopped them from enjoying their States of Jersey Complaints Panel upheld a complaint over how the Infrastructure and Environment Department handled residents' complaints about the noise and smells coming from the Northern Leaf farm in St Nightingale, who lives next to the site, said the noise emitted from the farm was so intrusive it meant he and his partner, Penny Bromley, could not sit in their minister Steve Luce said the government strongly rejected the panel's findings and had put "a lot of resource" into the issues highlighted. The BBC has approached Northern Leaf for comment. 'Horrendous whirring' Mr Nightingale said a low level noise from the farm was aggravating to deal with."You can't sit in the garden for a length of time," he said. "There's low-level noise that gives you headaches so you can't have the windows open."It's really intrusive and affects your lifestyle."Ms Bromley said the issues and "horrendous whirring sound" from the farm had forced her to spend more time away from Jersey."I can't enjoy my home at all," she said. The panel said the government had taken too long to deal with complaints from also criticised the government's use of an unjust "sniff test" to decide whether cannabis odours from the farm were a Bromley added that the panel's comments had made complainants like her feel vindicated although she questioned whether it would "make much difference" overall."I think the farm's either got to be closed down or the noise has to be stopped," she said. Deputy Hilary Jeune, chair of the environment, housing and infrastructure scrutiny panel, said the complaints had made it clear the island needed an independent public service ombudsman."We have seen the panel uphold the complaints but the government has pushed back on the recommendations," she said."The panel doesn't have any power to go further than that." 'Fair to both sides' In response to the panel's findings, chief officer of infrastructure and environment Andy Scate said the government "completely refute the suggestion that the department acted contrary to the law or behaved in a way that was unjust".Luce said the government had put in "thousands of hours" of work for years to deal with issues from residents' complaints about the farm."Unfortunately, we are in a process which becomes protracted and involves appeals, courts and a whole range of things," he said."But we have to be fair to both sides."
BBC News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Jersey States panel backs cannabis farm noise and smell complaint
A States' panel has upheld a complaint over the way the government handled residents' concerns about noise and smells from a cannabis farm in complaints panel said the Infrastructure and Environment Department had prioritised the interests of the Northern Leaf farm in St Lawrence to the detriment of people living nearby last panel said the government had taken too long to deal with residents' complaints, criticising its use of an unjust "sniff test" to decide whether cannabis odours from the farm were a Scate, Chief Officer of Infrastructure and Environment, said the department acknowledged the report but did not accept the findings. The panel said the government officers had "misinterpreted" the law that covered how nuisances should be dealt added that delays in bringing forward an abatement notice for noise and any action in relation to the odours had been unreasonable and that there was enough evidence to have acted to quicker in respect to "odours emanating from the site".Head of the panel Geoffrey Crill said: "The fact that no precedents existed should not have prevented action from being taken by the department. "The board considers it unacceptable that the department simply extended the monitoring of odours in order to meet a threshold that had already been acknowledged as unworkable." The government rejected the panel's decision, saying there were "many inaccuracies" in its Scate said: "Our responsibility is to uphold Jersey's regulatory framework fairly and impartially - that means acting in the interests of all parties, residents, businesses and the wider community."In the case of Northern Leaf, the department has issued a number of enforcement and noise asbatement notices and we have taken clear regulatory action in response to concerns raised. "We stand by our actions taken, ensuring that our interventions lead to meaningful and lasting improvements for those affected." 'Panel oversteps boundaries' Mr Scate said there had been a "substantial investment of resources" into the case, including more than 10 officers over a four-year period and "over 1,000 hours of focused effort".He said: "We do not accept the view that more could or should have been done - our team has acted at all times with diligence, professionalism and within the scope of legislation."Mr Scate added that the department was "not afforded the opportunity to participate fully in the panel's hearing process". He said: "The absence of a right to reply or to clarify key information before conclusions were drawn is disappointing and does not reflect principles of procedural fairness."We believe the panel continues to overstep the boundaries of its remit, particularly in matters relating to professional judgment and legal process."The department said it would report to the States within the next three months with a full response to the decision.
