Noise

Noise, or unwanted sound, increasingly impacts on our everyday lives and although we are able to tolerate noise for the majority of the time there are occasions when the level becomes intrusive, a source of irritation and stressful. The Borough Council can deal with a number of noise problems and officers in Environmental Health and Housing Services are qualified in investigating noise nuisances.

If you would like to report a noise problem you can email or call 01284 757053 and an officer will contact you to discuss the matter with you. As part of our investigation you will be asked to complete noise record sheets.  Officers may also visit you at times when the noise is likely to occur or leave noise monitoring equipment in your home. Officers will be assessing whether the noise is a statutory nuisance. Although you may think that any noise that annoys you is a nuisance the legal test for nuisance is objective: the noise must be both excessive and unreasonable.

There are also a number of noise sources that the Council cannot take action against, including:

• aircraft noise
• road traffic noise
• noisy car and motorcycle exhausts
• occasional dog barking
• normal everyday living noises
• crying babies
• children playing
• one-off parties
• loud voices and shouting in the street.

What else can I do if I am bothered by noise?

How to be a better (quieter) neighbour