Alton Towers to again battle noise complaints in court

Can I move in next to a small regional airport and then sue for noise-related damages if it ever grows into an international airport with 737s and bigger landing all the time?

I realize they didn't build a modern coaster until the 80s, but, once they started popping up in the 80s (without the kind of measures we've seen used today to limit sound), one might get the notion they intended to grow as an amusement park with "loud" rides.

I'm not worried. Jack, Chrissy, and Janet have always been able to outwit the Ropers in the past.

I can't wait to hear all the innuendo during the trial that the Ropers will completely misinterpret.

So the park has been there 200 years and the claimants have been there less than 50. I just don't get these type of people. What did they expect when they moved in next to an amusement park.

I like this quote:
Judge Mr Justice Burnett found that they have an income of £200,000 a year, own three mortgage-free properties and are, "by any standard rich".

They might not be rich. But they are pretty well off.

A judgment against Alton towers would set a bad precedent imho.

Yesterday I toured a house that I really liked, except it was next to a highway. Rather than not buy the house, I should clearly move in and then sue for having to listen to all those trucks going by.

While I'm not sympathizing, it's worth noting that the park didn't have B&M's when they moved in.

OK....... If you don't like the frickin noise , that isn't leaving no matter how much you try to sue them, then move the hell away! geez.. i would kill to have a house next to an amusement park. Its not like sewing them will solve the noise issue. I mean its and amusement park not a Silent Park!!!!

I am highly sympathetic to TRAFFIC-related complaints about Alton....those are IMO justified - tiny one-lane roads all over that go through the village, without any bypass roads to go directly to the park.

Noise? I'm sorry, there are no homes that I saw located *thatclose* to the park...

Will G said:

OK....... If you don't like the frickin noise , that isn't leaving no matter how much you try to sue them, then move the hell away! geez.. i would kill to have a house next to an amusement park. Its not like sewing them will solve the noise issue. I mean its and amusement park not a Silent Park!!!!

Yes, I believe that's going to be the defense attorney's opening statement. Verbatim.

The article says they live 100 yards from the entrance, Gator. No idea how that translates in a real world situation, but 300 feet seems well within the 'noise zone' under many circumstances.

Other than adding that, there's a reason I tend to stay out of these threads. :)

I'd trade Nemesis, Air and Oblivion for the three noisey kids next door to me.

Meanwhile I'm going to sue the sheep in the nearby farm because I heard a baaarrr last night.

I've always wondered where these Ropers live, there are some houses right at the entrance to the car park, but this is quite some distance from any rides. It's obvious they are out to try and make a quick buck, otherwise why not just move - people have moved for lesser reasons and it's not like the courts are going to close the park down.

In all fairness though, Alton Towers didn't start putting in rides until 1980, before that Alton was a peaceful village with a few tourists visiting the Tower ruins and gardens.

Really, you can't just say move, because their property is probably worthless. I think that's what they're really suing for, to make up for whatever loss they'd incur.

Grant said:

In all fairness though, Alton Towers didn't start putting in rides until 1980, before that Alton was a peaceful village with a few tourists visiting the Tower ruins and gardens.

And this instantly invalidates every single "You know what you got into when you moved there" argument.

Will G said:
Its not like sewing them will solve the noise issue.

It depends on what you sew them. Maybe a nice scarf would do the trick :-)

Lord Gonchar said:

The article says they live 100 yards from the entrance, Gator. No idea how that translates in a real world situation, but 300 feet seems well within the 'noise zone' under many circumstances.

As Grant mentioned, the "entrance" is nowhere NEAR anything amusement-related. Unless you count the monorail that takes you back to the rides and castle and whatnot. Their place has to be one of those houses wayyyy back by the ummm, "car park". ;~)

I always thought it was cool that their cars get parks, while they only get lots here.

I haven't the slightest inkling of how these legal matters usually unfold in other countries besides the US. Is the decision going to be made based on whether or not Alton has done everything possible to reasonably limit noise, or is it just up to the Judge's discretion based on the common sense argument that Alton was there first?