A MAN has been banned from using his farm as a HGV operating centre after residents said their lives were being made a misery.

Ged Ashe, of Ashes Farm, Croston Close Road, in Turn Village, Rossendale, had his operator's license revoked indefinitely after a review by the Traffic Commissioner, Rossendale Council said.

It was also determined, at the review held at Bury magistrates' court, that any company that he associates with would never be granted a licence again and that anybody known to be connected with Ashe would have to make their case directly to the Traffic Commissioner in the future before being granted a licence.

The commissioner also said that Ashes Farm was not suitable' as a place for an HGV operating centre and therefore no further applications would be considered in this location, the council said.

The council said Ashe did not attend the review, which was called as a result of formal complaints to the commissioner about his suitability to hold a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) operator's licence and complaints about the suitability of the location he was operating from.

Residents said his business operations had been causing them a great deal of distress and they complained about noise, visual intrusion, vibration and damage to private roads as well as allegations over his behaviour.

The commissioner has now called Ashe to a driver conduct hearing on June 26 to determine whether he should continue to hold a vocational licence for commercial vehicles.

A council spokesperson said he was very pleased with the outcome as Ashe had made life a misery for people living near to his farm.

He said: "As a council we have worked with residents and other agencies such as the Environment Agency, Lancashire Country Council and the police to have his licence revoked.

"We would like to thank the residents and other agencies for their continued support."