SOUTHAMPTON residents are celebrating victory in their battle against the fishy stench which has been plaguing their community.

As previously reported, people in Braeside Road, Peartree, had been beset for several years by the smell and noise coming from a fish processing firm yards away from their homes.

Earlier this year the city council ordered the firm to clean up its act, only for the foul smell and noise to continue on and off over the next few months.

But residents’ woes now appear to be at an end after the firm running the site, Ocean Processing UK, closed the premises in the Willments Industrial Estate.

Exasperated residents spoke to the Daily Echo earlier this year about the smell and noises that had come from the site since the business opened in February 2012.

The firm used the site to take in shipments of frozen raw shellfish, cook them, re-freeze them and ship them out.

Residents complained about having to keep windows and doors shut at all times to escape the odour, which could be smelt up to five times a day, while the drone from generators and compressors could be heard throughout the day and night.

Earlier this year Ocean Processing UK’s general manager, Ken Dooner, told the Daily Echo he “sympathised” with residents and said the firm had carried out work to reduce both the smell and noise levels.

But despite the city council carrying out some enforcement action, the firm – and the odour and noise – remained until the autumn, with the site now finally closed.

Braeside Road resident Jean Chapman, said: “Obviously we would have wanted things to move faster, but we’ve had great support from our councillors.

“However, the concern we have now is what the unit is used for next.”

And neighbour Clive Mortimer said: “What we would like to do for the future of the site is to ensure that it’s really for storage only.”

City councillor Darren Paffey said: “I’m glad that we’ve been able to take action that has made a difference, and that the residents are not experiencing these issues anymore.”

He said the council was taking legal action against Ocean Processing UK due to the firm operating without planning permission.

Labour’s Shadow Environment Minister Angela Smith visited the site to speak to the residents, and praised residents and councillors for working together to get rid of the pong and din.

She said: “Councils have to be prepared to prosecute where there’s evidence that the law has been broken in this way, and it’s really good to see that this is taking place in this instance.”

Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Southampton Itchen, Rowenna Davis, added: “I’m really pleased that the residents have come together, campaigned very hard, had support from their local councillors, and have finally seen the company closed down.

“I will now be campaigning to make sure that the taxpayers’ money that’s been needed for the clean-up operation is recouped.”

No one from Ocean Processing was available to comment.