A cattle market is under threat after complaints about noise

A 130-year-old cattle market site is under threat after a council claimed it was too noisy.

The Darlington Farmers Auction Market Ltd (DfAM) has appealed against a notice served by Darlington Borough Council, which said the market must cease the delivery and collection of animals between 9pm and 7am.

The noise abatement notice, issued in January under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, said the sound arose from impact noise, shouting and vehicle and animal noise associated with the collection and delivery of animals.

The market's spokesman Neil Mudie said that for the past 50 years cattle have been delivered to the site at Clifton Road in Darlington town centre at about 5am. This allows the animals to be checked in and logged before the sales start at 11am on Monday and 10am on Thursday.

Mr Mudie said: "In addition to potential traffic problems, the commercial consequences of delaying the market for two-and-a-half hours could be devastating for DfAM.

"The cattle sold at Thursday's sales would leave the market too late to reach the abattoirs the same day. Neither the abattoirs nor the market have the facilities to hold the animals overnight and so farmers would move away from the Darlington mart and be forced to travel further afield to sell their cattle.

"DfAM has built itself into the biggest fat cattle market in the UK. All that could be lost," he added.

But a spokeswoman for the council said the market was in a residential area and a number of locals were unhappy about the noise.

The abatement notice was consequently served, and she said there had also been a petition from other residents in the area complaining about the noise.

The case will be brought before magistrates in Darlington on Wednesday, in a hearing expected to last two days.