Residents driven crazy by 24-hour car wash

Residents living behind a 24 hour filling station in Dunshaughlin have told how their quality of life is being impacted by the noise and light coming from the car wash which is operational throughout the night despite planning conditions which stipulate that it can only operate between 8am and 8pm.

Manorlands is located on the Ratoath Road in Dunshaughlin, just behind the Go Filling Station on the Navan side of the village and four of the houses in the estate face onto the boundary wall of the filling station. One resident told how the light overspill and noise from the car wash at night is becoming a mental health issue at this stage.

A filling station operated at the site for many years. It was closed for a time and reopened in 2023 as a 24-hour filling station after a major construction project.

A planning application for retention permission for works carried out at the site was lodged with Meath County Council in January of last year. Planners sought further information and planning was subsequently granted with conditions in December.

Several residents of Manorland lodged submissions raising concerns about a number of issues including the disturbance being caused at night by the light and noise from the car wash. One of the planning conditions attached to the grant of planning was that the car washes would only operate between 8am and 8pm but residents say this condition is not being adhered to.

Robert Byrne told the Meath Chronicle he has lived in his home at Manorlands for 30 years and there was never an issue with the filling station that was there previously. He explained that the light overspill and noise from the car wash during the night are their main issues and that the planning conditions in relation to operating hours of the car wash are being ignored.

"The car wash runs 24 hours a day," said Robert. "On Christmas Eve morning we were woken at 5am by the car wash going."

"They are entitled to operate during the day but we can't open windows at night during the summer because of the noise from the car wash.

"It is becoming wearing. At this stage it is an issue of mental health being constantly disturbed at night by it. All we want is for the council to enforce the planning conditions."

Another Manorlands resident, David Walshe said: "We are not asking a lot. It is a reasonable requirement but they are not doing it."

"There are two car washes, who needs to be washing their at night?" he asked.

"They are simple things that would make such a difference. It is not a lot what they are being asked to do, just to sort out the light and noise issue. We are not against trade, we are not against it being 24 hours. "

He added they just want them to adhere to the conditions put in place by the council and turn off the car wash at 8pm in the evening.

Daire O'Connell outlined that there are two car washes- one with the big brushes and another that is a pressure washer. She said the pressure washer is near her home and the noise from it is "awful".

"The big issue is that the car washes are operating 24 hours a day. The noise is very loud. You would never imagine people would wash their car at night but they do.

"With the old shop and garage, everything closed at 10pm. This one is open 24 hours a day. The car wash is supposed to finish at 8pm but it is still going 24 hours.

"All we want is for them to comply with the conditions. To close the car wash at 8pm and turn off the lights around the car wash. That's all we are looking for.

"This is a residential area. We are not on the side of a motorway where it wouldn't bother people. You don't need to wash your car at 3am in the morning."

The operator of the filling station has been contacted for comment but had not responded at time of going to press.