Never-ending noise

Work has begun on the former Netto site

Demolition work has begun on the former Netto and Bamboo Tiger shops in St George’s place. The area is being turned into a student union and student accommodation for Canterbury Christ Church University. 

Many residents in the area are already annoyed with noise disturbance caused by building work, and are worried about the potential noise created once students move in. 

Kimberley Young, aged 24, lives next door to the building site. She said: “They have only just started to knock down Netto and I’m already getting irritated. I’m getting constant headaches because of the big banging noises and I can’t get a decent sleep because they start work so early. Then once the students move in I’ll have to put up with their rowdiness. It’s just not what I signed up for when I moved in.” 

Many others have expressed the same view as Kimberley, Derek Smith, 38, commented: “Without being disrespectful to students, I can’t see any good coming from the new student union and accommodation, all I envision is noise, noise, and more noise.” 

However, there are others such as 51-year-old Ilene Bassett who disagree, she believes it is unfair to judge the project before it is complete and before the students have moved in.   

The building work won't be finished until September 2012, meaning residents have over a year before the influx of students begins. 

Watch Ilene Bassett's interview here: