Plans to build a facility at Whitefield Police Station to boost officers' Taser training activities have been approved amid ongoing noise concerns.

Proposals to install a portable building intended for office-based work at the station were approved by the council’s planning committee last week.

A request for two car wash screens were also given the green light with plans afoot to relocate Greater Manchester Police's Roads Policing Unit to the Bury New Road station.

The screens are set to protect adjoining properties from spray from the jet washers used to maintain police vehicles.

The new portacabin will be used for administrative support to existing tactical Taser training which has taken place at the site for around five years.

The plans were approved after ongoing concerns from residents regarding noise produced by Taser training at the station, which is located within the All-Saint’s Conservation Area, sits alongside residential properties.

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At the planning committee meeting last Tuesday, one resident raised concerns about the proposals, telling members the noise from the training unit is “unbearable".

She said: “Our concerns are the potential noise that’s going to be generated [by the] the Taser training unit, we were never consulted about this and we’re very, very concerned about the noise.

“Regarding the proposed spray screens this is going to be directly behind our property, again we’re concerned about the noise levels, and we request that they are controlled to day timings only.

“I would also request that somebody comes round and listens to the noise levels of this Taser training unit when it is in use, it is unbearable.”

While the committee, chaired by Cllr Gavin McGill, acknowledged the ongoing noise concerns raised by residents, it agreed that it had no power to restrict the activities of Taser trainers at the site.

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Dean Clapworthy, the council's main planning officer said: “I just want to clarify that the proposal that the councillors are being asked to consider are for the portacabin and the screens only.

"There is clearly an ongoing situation related to taser training at the site and the nuisance that causes to neighbours but that’s not what’s subject to you consideration this evening (Tuesday, April 25).

“What councillors are considering is the office use of the portacabin and the screens being used to add additional protection to the lawful cleaning of vehicles."

While the committee voted unanimously to approve the proposals, chair Cllr Gavin McGill advised residents to consult with local councillors and the council’s environmental health team if they had concerns.

He added: “Planning in this case does not have the powers to limit the noise on this application but the advice from any council would be to speak to your councillors and speak to environmental heath as well.”