Noise and Nuisance

We develop and promote initiatives to address noise and other statutory nuisance and manages research into noise. The Noise and Nuisance policy team is responsible for:

• developing policy on neighbourhood noise (other than in the workplace) and other statutory nuisance (eg dust and smells/odours, bonfire nuisance).
• developing policy on ambient noise (including a proposed National Ambient Noise Strategy - NANS);
• negotiating proposals for European legislation on environmental noise and implementing the legislation once it comes into force;
• managing noise research including noise mapping, assessing current levels and attitudes to environmental noise, a series of joint projects with the Department of Health on Noise and Health, projects connected with the proposed EC Directive on Environmental Noise and the proposed Ambient Noise Strategy and projects in response to noise and other nuisance issues;
• disseminating information on how to avoid causing annoyance to others and what to do if you have problem;

We liaise closely with other Government departments and outside organisations. Other parts of Government have responsibility for reducing emissions from specific noise sources and for other noise and nuisance issues (e.g. DTLR covers policy controlling noise emissions from aviation, vehicles and railways; the Department of Trade and Industry has responsibility for noise emission standards for outdoor machinery and recreational craft and for firework safety; and the Home Office has responsibility for crime reduction and anti-social behaviour).

Latest

• UK Noise Forum Conference and John Connell Awards, October 29.
  This provides a summary of the day, as well as publications associated with the event. The Defra press release can be read here.

• Noise Newsletter Edition 1 (March 2003 - revised April 2003)

• Proposals for the Statutory Control of Odour & Other Nuisance from Sewage Treatment Works - Consultation (closing date 28 March 2003) - see also this News Release (23 December 2002)

• Ambient Noise Strategy: a summary of responses to the consultation has been published. Two News Releases have also been issued (12 December 2002) - "Tackling background noise from transport and industry" and "England noise mapping starts in London"

• Prestigious Awards for Tackling Antisocial Noise (News Release, 24 September 2002)
• Developments in ambient noise policy are covered in the Air Quality Newsletters - Newsletter No. 4 (October 2002) is just issued.

Further Information

The following pages provide more information on specific subjects;

• Neighbourhood Noise and Other Statutory Nuisance
• Ambient Noise
• Noise Research Programme - including Birmingham Noise Maps
• Links to Organisations, Institutions and Other Government Departments
• Guidance on preparing Codes of Practice for minimising noise in England
• Noise Update 2002 - 10 September 2002: Noise Policy Overview Conference Paper

Consultations

• Towards a National Ambient Noise Strategy (published 20 December 2001 for comments by 15 March 2002)

Review of the Noise Act

Defra has now completed a review of the Noise Act 1996: we consulted in December 2000 following a study carried out by the University of Birmingham, we have now summarised the responses, and an announcement was made on 20 December 2001 concerning the outcome of the consultation - see the News Release index.

Noise Statistics

Defra and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health announced the publication of statistics on noise complaints and prosecutions 2000/2001. These can be found in the attached report.

Noise Newsletters

We aim to publish "Noise News", our newsletter, every four months and use it is a way of updating interested parties in noise and other statutory nuisance news. Copies are available as follows:

• Edition 1 - March 2003 (revised April 2003) (30kb)

Further information is available on our Help page about downloading or reading Adobe Acrobat documents.

Contacts

If you want further information about noise and nuisance that is not covered by these pages, you can contact us by e-mail at: noise@defra.gsi.gov.uk

or for odours and responses to the consultation paper on proposals for the statutory control of odour and other nuisance from sewage treatment works - odours@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Format/Language

If there is anything on these webpages that you would like translated into another language or format please contact us at the e-mail address given above.