Noise Pollution - Advice please

[Dave_G]

Hi,

Many of you have follwed my saga in challenging the local authority over lopping a protected oak tree. This is now with the Local Government Ombudsman.

I now have contractors within 20 meters of my property that run a generator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It powers the site/security office.

The noise from the generator resonates throught my home even with closed tripple glazed windows.

Does anyone know what legislation I can use to get this noise stopped?

Thanks,

David

 

[Mike.C]

Get in touch with envirnmental health and they will come out and measure the noise at different times of the day and night. But because you are fighting the local authority and the enviromental health is part of this, make a note of the names/dates etc of every person you talk to and keep copies of any letters you send them. Personally I would get my solicitor to write to them just so they know that it cannot be swept under the carpet. I would'nt have thought that one letter would cost that much.

What about your neighbors, is the noise effecting them? If so get them to complain too.

Good luck, I hope you get both problems sorted out as quick as possible.

Mike

 

[Anonymous]

Have you actually asked the contractors to reduce the noise?

 

[Dave_G]

Tony,

I asked the contractors to reduce the noise last night at 11.45 pm and I am a 'reasonable' guy and I thought I asked in a 'reasonable' way. The resonse I got was to **** off you ******.

I think a solicitors letter will be worth the few £'s.

Cheers,

David

 

[Slim]

Hi David, I'm sorry to hear that you are still having problems.

This excerpt is from your own council's guidelines on noise pollution:

Noise from construction sites

Manchester City Council has drafted clear, simple guidance for building contractors designed to minimise disruption and noise. Phone Environmental Health on 0161 234 4873 for a copy of the guidance, Controlling Pollution from Building Sites. Briefly, the guidance recommends that contractors (and subcontractors should inform local residents prior to work commencing and they should provide contact details. The guidance also specifies that construction work should normally take place only between the following hours:

Monday - Friday*: 7.30am - 6pm
Saturday*: 8.30am - 2pm
Sunday / Bank Holidays: No work

*May arrive on site 30 minutes earlier but no working outside these times, unless changed by prior agreement. Noise to be kept to a minimum in the first hour. If you want more information, contact Pollution Control on 0161 234 4873.

Strange that they are not following their own guidelines. Call environmental health and quote them this.

 

[Paul.J]

Hello David.
Sorry to hear about your problems.
I know this is slightly off ball but my brother is having problems with loud music now most days and nights with new neighbours.
He phoned the police who told him that there was nothing they could do.It was down to the enviromental health :!: :!: :!:
The police said they could come out and tell them to turn it down,but there is nothing to stop them turning the noise up when they had gone.
Hope you sort it out.
Paul.J.

 

[Dave_G]

Slimjim,

Thanks for posting the Council's regs. However, there is no work on the site after the hours you quoted. My problem is a large generator they have for the site/security office that runs 24/7.

The constant drone of the generator is driving me potty! I cannot sit in my lounge or use the back bedroom because of the noise.

My neighbours are also hacked off at the noise - so perhaps a collective complaint would be better.

The trouble is I'm really less tolerant of things these days - may be I'm getting old and turning out to be a grumpy old *******.

Dave

 

[MrJay]

Contact environmental health, they have the teeth in these kinds of situations and a duty to act on complaints. They'll most likely want you to collect some evidence, such as keeping a diary of nuisance or recording the noise in your house late at night, you might as well start early. You could also try contacting the contractor's head office, you'll be more likely to get somewhere than talking to a drone. If your neighbours also lodge a complaint with environmental health it will do your case no harm at all.