Get to grips with noise pollution

Noise Action Week (NAW), an annual initiative organised by Environmental Protection UK, takes place between 21-25 May.

During this week and throughout the coming months, Rochdale Borough Council will be raising awareness of the impact of noise and providing advice on simple solutions that can be taken to prevent problems arising.

The Council received more than 1100 noise complaints last year. The majority of these related to neighbourhood noise, particularly anti social behaviour such as people shouting, banging doors and carrying out DIY activities.

Barking dogs and audio equipment were the next most common types of noise complaint received by the council.

Complaints about industrial noise and the sounding of alarms were less common representing 18% of the total number for the year. If you do have a security alarm on your property please remember to register your key holder details with the police and the council. If you would like to register key holder details please call Jacqui Evans at the council’s Health Improvement Team on 01706 924106.

Nicola Rogers, Acting Chief Public Protection Officer at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Noise can cause disruption and distress to everyone - at home, at leisure and at work. I hope as many people as possible will use Noise Action Week to find out more about how they can act responsibly to not cause problems to others and also understand how they tackle the problem if they suffer noise themselves.”

National research1 shows that two fifths of the population say noise affects their quality of life and in 2008 around half a million people (1%) said they had moved home because of noisy neighbours.

If you have any queries relating to noise issues or if you are a member of a local community group and you would like information relating to the council’s noise procedure or you would like a representative of the Health Improvement Team to present a talk on the council’s noise procedure to your community group please contact Jacqui Evans on 01706 924106 for further details.