Keeping the peace as we ease out of lockdown - Noise Action Week 2021

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For over 20 years EPUK has co-ordinated an annual initiative to raise the profile of unhealthy noise and the impact it has on our physical and mental health. We took a quiet break at the height of the pandemic last year but are pleased to say we’re back!

Noise Action Week is Back! 24^th - 29^th May

After a quiet break during the pandemic Noise Action Week is back! The campaign coincides with lockdowns easing across the UK, allowing limited socialising indoors and larger gatherings outdoors.

With people keen to get back to seeing family and friends, there is potential for more disturbing noise – in gardens and around venues. Easing of the planning restrictions restrictions around opening of shops, early and late delivery times and use of outside space by bars and restaurants also has the potential to cause disturbance.

While life was quieter for many during lockdowns, several pieces of research showed noise in neighbourhoods causing problems:

• Research in London found Tweets complaining about neighbour noise doubled during 2020 lockdown
• A summer 2020 poll found nearly half of adults said noise had some impact on their mental well being
• Of 51 councils responding to a BBC request on noise complaints in May 2020, 44 said complaints had increased.
• For 2019/2020 the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health found that 299 noise complaints each year were dealt with per full time noise officer

Around a third of us lives in flats, terraced or semi detached homes, so we can expect to hear some noise from our neighbours. However, with many still working at home, it is important to be aware of our neighbours when socialising or doing noisy jobs.

While we don’t want to spoil the fun as everyone is able to reconnect with friends and family, we are reaching out to remind everyone - residents, tenants and businesses to keep the peace with our neighbours.

Support us in making some noise about noise.

Ideas for promotional activity and resources
@NoiseActionWeek [email protected] #NoiseActionWeek21

1. Noisy Neighbours: 51 Noise Complaints A Day Made By Those In The East Midlands - Direct LineGroup

2. Attitudes towards outdoor and neighbour noise during the COVID-19 lockdown: A case study in London - Pyoung Jik Lee^a,* and Jeong Ho Jeong^b

3. CIEH Noise Survey 2019/20 England, Feb 2021