A FARMER hopes a compromise can be reached to allow him to continue to run auto-cross scrambling meetings on his father's land.

It follows the loss of an appeal by Ian Robson against a noise abatement order issued by Chester-le-Street District Council.

The order was made by the council in March, after environmental health official Michael Bowery measured levels of noise emitted from auto-cross events at Broomy Holme Farm, between the villages of Edmondsley and Pelton Fell.

It followed complaints from people in Edmondsley, and nearby Hett Hills and Pelton Fell, about noise from trial bikes using the farm course.

Mr Robson, who farms at Tow Law, County Durham, can stage 14 meetings a year at Broomy Holme, owned by his father, William.

He told the appeal hearing, at Durham Magistrates' Court, that the Environment Agency declared in March 2001 that noise from the meetings was, "not a statutory nuisance".

Mr Robson, who has a petition signed by 220 people saying it was not a noise nuisance, said he felt many of the objectors confused the noise with sound emitted from similar meetings staged at nearby Dene Acres Farm, which is closer to Edmondsley than his father's farm.

He said he was only aware of a visit by Mr Bowery on March 13, and the notice was issued the following day.

"It didn't give me the chance to make any alterations, or change the track, to reduce the noise," he said

He said up to 30 bikes, with maximum noise of 98 decibels each, are involved in the meetings, used by riders aged from four to 40.

Council solicitor Kevin Campbell asked him: "Do you accept it is an interference and discomfort for people living nearby?"

Mr Robson said: "No, not at all."

Mr Bowery said due to the bowl-shaped topography of the land, the noise can drift to Edmondsley, carried by the prevailing wind.

He said: "You can be at one side and hear nothing, but on another side you can clearly hear the bikes."

Dismissing Mr Robson's appeal, the magistrates ordered him to pay £2,500 of the council's £5,700 costs.

After the hearing, Mr Bowery said: "We want to get this sorted out, and get the noise alleviated, but the ball is in his court."

Mr Robson said he hopes a meeting can be arranged to resolve the problem.