Dinosaur park’s models can only screech during certain times after complaints

A set of model dinosaurs are only allowed to make noises within certain hours following complaints about screeching.

Ralph Court Garden’s Dinosaur World in Herefordshire is home to a variety of animatronic model dinosaurs that move and make noises.

But they can now only emit sounds between 10am and 4pm.

It comes after Hereford Council’s environmental health office said complaints had been made over ‘screeches and horn-like sounds’ from some of the dinosaurs, which were ‘out of context within the local environment’.

In a social media post, one resident 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 meters from our horses.’

Stephen and Paula Morgan, who runs Ralph Court Gardens at Edwyn Ralph near Bromyard, were given certain noise control measures they had to adhere to as part of their original planning permission for the dinosaur park, which was granted in February last year.

This includes setting a maximum volume for the models, time limits on when they could make a noise, and how many could make a noise at the same time, and installing noise-dampening barriers or vegetation screening, reports Gloucestershire Live.

However, they recently made a retrospective planning application after introducing 11 more dinosaurs, but not learning till afterwards they needed permission.

The recent comments from the environmental health officer regarding complaints was made following the latest application.

Despite the complaints, there were no direct objections from neighbors or the local parish council to the application, according to Gloucestershire Live.

Herefordshire Council planning officer Jack Dyer said that ‘the theme of the garden does not necessarily fit with the surrounding natural landscape context’.

But its setting meant its ‘impact upon the wider surrounding landscape from a visual perspective is minimal’.

He added, however, that the attraction would ‘require some degree of control going forward in order to protect the surrounding public and neighboring residential amenity’.

This means following an approved noise management plan, including that the attraction is closed in the evenings. In the run up to Halloween and Christmas, however, when there are evening events, the time is extended to 8pm.

After the second application, the noise levels were also tested and it was found some of the dinosaurs were too loud so the park have been told to turn them down.

Mr Morgan told the Daily Mail: ‘We have an issue with one particular neighbor 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.

‘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.’

Mr Morgan said the attraction had been a hit with visitors since opening in 2025.

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