Tyrannosaurus vexed! Garden dinosaur attraction compelled to silence animatronic beasts after complaints over ‘screeches and horn-like sounds’

A business has been ordered to silence its ‘screeching’ dinosaurs after neighbours complained about the noise coming from the animatronic beasts.

Ralph Court Gardens in Herefordshire opened its ‘Dinosaur World’ attraction last year, allowing visitors to walk through a garden alongside the prehistoric beasts.

The attraction became an instant hit with locals, prompting the owners to apply for planning permission to add more dinosaurs.

However the beasts were not so popular with neighbours, with one describing ‘constant screeching’ from the animatronics.

In a comment on social media, they wrote: ‘Not so much fun when you live next door. Constant screeching (apparently this is what dinosaurs sound like ….. who knew?) 

‘Flapping wings and heads and necks going up & down a few metres from our horses.’

Now Herefordshire Council has ordered the owners to silence the dinosaurs in the evenings.

The Dinosaur World will now only be open between 10am and 4pm, with an extra four hours allowed in the evenings in the run up to Christmas and Halloween.

Ralph Court Gardens in Herefordshire opened its ‘Dinosaur World’ attraction last year

Neighbours complained about the ‘screeching’ roars of the animatronic models in the gardens

The extra time was allowed for evening events at the gardens, when it opens until 8.30pm, meaning the dinosaurs will be silenced half an hour before the park closes under the restrictions. 

Owners Stephen and Paula Morgan, made the retrospective planning application earlier this year to add 11 new models to the attraction.

Dinosaur World was approved by councillors in 2024, but Mr and Mrs Morgan were not aware that they needed separate planning permission to add new installations.

As part of the application, the council also assessed the noise levels created by the dinosaurs.

It found some of them were too loud and had to be turned down and recommended that the attraction is closed during the evening. 

The council’s environmental health officer then decided that the ‘screeches and horn-like sounds’ made by the models were ‘out of context’ with their surroundings.

Mr Morgan said: ‘We have an issue with one particular neighbour unhappy about anything we do. They complained about everything including noise levels

‘We did an audio test, they assessed and a couple of the units were a decibel higher than should have been. They have now been adjusted accordingly.

Under new rules imposed by the council the dinosaurs have to be switched off by 4pm every day

‘The dinosaurs all have audio controls, they all have volume knobs. The sound can vary depending on how many customers there are and the balance of background noise.

‘We are in quite a rural location. Nearest location is about 150 yards from us.

‘We have got planning permission to hold evening events for Halloween and Christmas. 

‘Those events last until 8.30pm so unfortunately we have to switch the dinosaurs off half an hour early.’ 

Despite rows over noise, Stephen said the attraction has been a huge success and has led to an increase in visitors.

He added: ‘We opened in 2024. Dinosaur World is split into two sections, we opened the original one last year. 

‘We then added an extension and it went into a permitted development area. 

‘We merrily carried on to then be told that, because the structures (the dinosaurs) could not be easily moved, we needed to get retrospective planning.

Owner Stephen Morgan said the attraction has been a huge success for his business

‘It takes a very long time these days. Fortunately because these were already built we were allowed to continue trading with them in place.

‘It is a long drawn out process, but we are very pleased and visitors are pleased.

‘Generally visitor attractions have seen a downturn, but we have seen an upturn. we are very pleased with that. 

‘Ultimately that means we can stay open and create jobs for people.’