Noise as a human rights issue often hits headlines - most recently in Copenhagen where residents won a case against construction work blighting their homes. Acoustic consultant and blogger on noise issues, Gwyn Mapp of Amledd, examines the evolution of human rights regulation and how this can be applied in noise cases. The topic of human rights receives a lot of negative coverage from some elements of the British press. This coverage has led to […]

Its National Science and Engineering Week, and Dr Mike Goldsmith, scientist, acoustician and author, considers how his own history of noise exposure has affected his hearing health, and why we should all listen to scientists when it comes to the effect noise has on our hearing. As a scientist and noise historian, I have been known to look back with regret to those halcyon days, sometime after the Second World War, during which, when scientists […]

Janine Green, ASB Practice and Projects Manager at the The Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group (SLCNG) considers the challenge anti social noise presents. SLCNG is a national body for England and Wales consisting of over 300 member organisations, all sharing a responsibility for tackling anti social behaviour within our communities. Members manage around 75% of the housing stock and the role of SLCNG is to help develop and promote best practice. Noise nuisance is […]

Elmbridge Borough Council in Surrey used Noise Action Week promotion to launch development of their scheme to manage noise from licensed premises. Paul Leadbeater, Principal Environmental Health Officer outlines how this scheme and a Noise Toolkit is helping to keep the peace between neighbours. The Elmbridge BC Noise Code for Licensed Premises (NCLP) was originally launched for consultation during Noise Action Week 2012. This launch took place at a well attended event for the borough’s […]

Micheal Eade is an experienced environmental health practitioner with a background in law. With the publication this week of long awaited Planning Practice Guidance, he uses recent cases to examine the role of planning in preventing noise problems in mixed developments. So often complaints of noise come about as a consequence of conflict between the proximity of residential property to commercial or industrial premises. To a certain extent, different land uses and activities need to […]