Noise and odour from extractor flues, noisy machinery, fan noise, vehicle movements, vehicle alarms and radios can be very annoying.

What You Should Do

• Identify where the noise or odour is coming from.
• Speak to other residents or businesses who may be affected.
• Try speaking to the manager and explain the problem. They are often unaware of the problem and can try to resolve it more quickly and amicably. (It isn’t usually in the interests of a business to upset the immediate neighbours).

If you are unable to speak with the manager you will need to contact us. We will need:

• Your name, address and contact telephone number.
• A description of the problem ie, what it smells or sounds like, when it happens and how long it goes on for.
• Information on which location it is from and how it affects you.

You can report noise online or by calling 01233 330470.

Code of Practice

The government has earmarked Ashford as an area for massive development. During the works many residents will be affected by noise, vibration and maybe dust or mud from sites under construction.

While nearby residents will have to accept some disturbance during demolition or construction this does not give construction companies or builders carte blanche to do as they please.

If you are having problems with a site and you do not believe they are following the code of practice contact us on 01233 330470.

View the Code of Practice webpage for more information.

Advice for Businesses

If your business is close to residential property it is best to arrange all loading and deliveries at times that will not cause a disturbance. Not all sites have time restrictions imposed on them by planning. Older sites in particular often don’t have time restrictions applied to their permission. Unless there has been a material change in usage of the site conditions cannot be applied retrospectively.

It is advisable wherever possible to have no deliveries after 11pm or before 7am where there are close by residential properties. If this cannot be avoided and there are no planning conditions on the site, delivery drivers should be advised to take all reasonable precautions while undertaking deliveries; turn the engine off on arrival, avoid slamming doors, avoid dropping things, not to play a radio in the cab as they draw up, not to shout or whistle.

Larger companies and distribution centres should consider acoustic fencing to help reduce noise impact on neighbouring properties along with the combination of the measures below:

Best practice advice on quiet deliveries

• Gas powered vehicles
• Automatic transmission
• Air/rubber suspension
• Rear steer/lifting axles
• Air brake silencers
• Automatic engine cut out to reduce idling time and noise
• Reversing alarm cut-out with automatic reset
• Automatic radio cut-out when cab door opens
• Low noise surfacing for load compartment floor
• Load restraint system to eliminate noise
• Lining of body panels to reduce drumming
• Manual closers for doors (self closers encourage drivers to slam)
• Low noise stops on drop-down steps
• Low noise wheels on roll cages
• Electronically operated shutters (eliminates slamming)
• Low noise surfacing on tail lift decking
• Low noise stops
• Sleeving on safety gate chains
• Encapsulated motors
• Angled mounting of tail lift rails so they are vertical when trailer is coupled (ensures tail lift deck is horizontal for quieter grounding)
• Regular maintenance particularly for exhausts
• Careful selection and mounting of ancillary equipment like pumps and generators to reduce noise

Best practice at the delivery point

• Forklift trucks
• Gas or electric trucks
• Scissor lifts
• Electric shutters
• Effective enclosure and sealing of loading bay and docking areas to minimise noise transmission
• Cutting noise from doors, music, paging systems, conversations

Best Practice for chiller equipment

• Use LPG or natural gas engine powered systems
• Power sockets at loading and parking areas to run refrigeration units