PERSIMMON Homes Ltd has responded to complaints about building noise on sites in north Calne by limiting the hours of work on developments next to residential areas.

In October last year, Persimmon agreed to enforce a noise embargo, prohibiting lorry drivers and builders starting work on its site at Wheat Pieces, next to Lickhill Road, before 8am.

But last month residents who live next to the building site complained to town councillor John Ireland that the agreement was not being honoured.

Coun Ireland investigated the complaints and recorded lorries driving down Lickhill Road at 7.30am.

At Severn Close he approached a builder mixing concrete, who told him that he always started work at 7.15am and had done so for more than a year.

He wrote to Persimmon, saying: 'Is it any wonder that your relations with the local people are so poor when you continuously cause such disruption to their lives by excessive noise and disturbance caused by your working practices?'

Persimmon has since issued a directive to its workers preventing them from working before 8am and after 6pm.

Coun Ireland said. "I think it shows Persimmon is listening to the concerns of residents. I think they have had a shock in the last couple of months and they're trying desperately to shore up their relationship with people living round here."