Ding-dong as church bell recording fails to appeal to neighbours

Aug 21 2008 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

A RECORDING of bells broadcast through a public-address system at a Lanarkshire church has not received a ringing endorsement from neighbours.

St John the Baptist Church, in Uddingston’s Lower Millgate, have erected four speakers on a 20-ft post outside the building.

Villagers say the “tinny” sound of the bells can be heard every day of the week: three minutes at noon and 6pm, Monday to Saturday - and before morning, noon and evening mass on Sundays.

One villager this week described the sound as “raucous” adding: “I’m several streets away and I can hear it with the door shut.”

It was also claimed that the structure was erected without planning permission.

A resident living near the church has contacted South Lanarkshire’s environmental health department about the matter.

However, residents in nearby Holmwood Gardens said they were not bothered by the sound of the bells.

“When you live next to a church, you half expect that kind of thing to happen,” said one. “We’ve got used to it, and when the windows are closed you don’t hear them anyway.

“My only criticism would be that it’s not a great recording.”

The recording was introduced earlier this year to celebrate the church’s 125th anniversary.

Centenary committee chairman Danny Anderson said this week the church had been advised that planning permission wasn’t necessary, adding: “Can you imagine the furore if anyone questioned, or tried to silence the Islamic call to prayer, the Adhan which, as part of the Muslim faith, is heard five times a day?”

St John the Baptist parish priest Father Dominic Towey said: “We are disappointed and hurt that in 21st century Scotland there is still a small minority who seem offended at the sound of Christians, in this case Roman Catholics, being called to worship by a church bell.”

A council spokesman confirmed this week they had received an “enquiry” concerning an “alleged noise nuisance” emanating from the speakers.

She added: “Legislation does not call for noise readings to be taken in this instance. The investigating officer is of the opinion that the noise does not constitute a statutory nuisance.

“However, we are working with the relevant parties to bring about a satisfactory resolution on the matter.”

Another authority spokesman said the matter was “highly unusual” in planning terms.

He added: “There does not seem to be any planning legislation which would guide us in determining definitively whether the structure requires planning permission or not.

“There was an initial belief that it would not require planning permission.

“However, when a planning enforcement officer carried out an on-site visit he took the view that planning permission was required. In the light of the degree of uncertainty, we are now reviewing the situation and are to seek independent advice.”