Residents claim a massive port development would shatter their peace with noise pollution.
They argue a £300m expansion of Harwich International Port would disturb people's sleep and breach human rights.
John Noble, of Harwich Fishermen's Association, yesterday outlined his concerns at a public inquiry into the planned Bathside Bay container terminal.
He said he was already regularly woken by bangs and crashes from Felixstowe Port and feared that would get worse if operations in Harwich got bigger.
And Mr Noble was worried about noise disrupting classroom lessons for pupils.
Developer Hutchison Ports UK admitted noise levels would increase and said it was trying to minimise them.
Hutchison representative Bernard Postlethwaite said: "There are a number of factors, like medical ones, why people wake up in the middle of the night and it is not right to say that noise is the only reason."
Suggestions have been made that teachers should close windows to shut out noise during construction if the terminal was approved.
Mr Noble claimed that breached human rights, especially for children who had hearing problems.
Hutchison has agreed a grants scheme to insulate some brick-built properties in the area against noise.
A planning inspector will visit several locations to see how a development at Bathside Bay would affect them in September.
Published Wednesday July 28, 2004
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