A go-karting arena has just 28 days to bring noise levels down or it could be forced to close.

But staff say they need longer to tackle noise problems.

Kirklees Council served an enforcement notice against Leeds Bradford Karting Arena in Roberttown, Liversedge, following residents' complaints about high levels of noise from the site.

The Council claimed the Huddersfield Road centre was in breach of planning permission conditions, stating the level of noise emitted from the arena should not exceed 48 decibels when measured in the rear gardens of nearby Ashby Close.

The Council said the condition had been breached because the noise levels were "regularly being exceeded". On Friday, July 20, a noise level of 53 decibels was recorded in one of the gardens.

At an appeal hearing at Cleckheaton Town Hall on Tuesday, Steve Rees from the karting centre said they had spent £3,000 soundproofing the building, but that they would need six months to implement all the work required to reduce the noise level.

The Council said 28 days was the maximum time limit they could have and there was no justification for extending that because Mr Rees had been aware of the problem since August 2000.

Mr Rees said: "I do not believe we can do it in 28 days. It would close the business because we would have no income but money would be going out."

One resident of Ashby Close, who did not wish to be named, said weekends were the noisiest times.

"We hear tyres screeching when we are in the garden," she said. "Ideally, I'd like to see it shut down. The Council has been telling them about this problem for a while and they still haven't rectified it."

Theresa Harlow, senior planner for Kirklees Council, said: "We served an enforcement notice following the breach of planning permission with regard to noise levels.

"We went to appeal on August 18 last year to point out problems exceeding noise levels and a planning contravention notice was sent on October 9.

"From August 18 to when we served the enforcement notice on March 8, they had seven months when work could have been done.

"Given the time limit we don't think six months is reasonable for carrying out the work and it's not reasonable for the people living in Ashby Close."

Mr Rees said they had moved the pit area to the far side of the building to lessen noise, and added insulation. He added that his manager had invited local residents to come and talk to them.

He said: "We are happy to work with the Council, but have to manage our cash flow. It is more complex than saying stick a bit of insulation up here."

A decision by the planning inspectorate is expected to take around eight weeks.