Minister welcomes fall in noise complaints

A new report has revealed that noise complaints in Northern Ireland have fallen by 5% over the past year.

The report, Noise: Complaint Statistics for Northern Ireland 2008/09 was produced by the Department of the Environment’s Planning and Environmental Policy Group. According to the report, 11,099 complaints were made to district councils in the 2008/2009 year, which represents a 5% decrease on the previous year’s figures. However, this is still a 35.4% increase on the number of noise related complaints received since 2003/2004.

Commenting on the findings of the report Environment Minister, Edwin Poots said: “The results of this year’s report are encouraging as they confirm the decline in the number of people adversely affected by noise. I welcome the proactive manner in which some councils have implemented actions and initiatives to educate those living within their districts to address noise complaints in an effective and efficient manner.

“However, this is no time for complacency as noise and its effects on people across the province remain serious issues that must continue to be addressed by councils and the public.”

Local councils have primary responsibility for investigating and dealing with most noise complaints received from the public. More than half of the complaints were received by Belfast City Council. When the figures were adjusted to take account of varying population densities across the 26 council areas, Coleraine, Down, Ballymoney and Strabane were found to have some of the highest numbers of complaints per 1000 of the population. The lowest levels of complaints were in Castlereagh, Magherafelt, Fermanagh and Limavady.

Eighty two percent of complaints received related to domestic noise, which includes noise from music, televisions and parties, house alarms, DIY and animal noise.

The commercial and leisure sector was responsible for the 9% of complaints with half of these complaints being about entertainment premises.

Construction noise accounted for 3% of the total complaints received and transport noise, noise in the street and industrial noise each represented 2% of the total number of complaints received across Northern Ireland in the year to March 2009.

The Minister added: “Like last year, the vast majority of complaints received by district councils related to noise from neighbours. This is one of the sources of noise that has great potential to be reduced, simply by individuals acting in a considerate manner and giving some thought to the impact their actions have on their neighbours.”

Notes to editors:

1. Additional copies of the report, including a full breakdown of the results of the District Council areas as well as the reasons for the complaints, can be obtained from the Department of the Environment, Planning and Environmental Policy Group, 23 Castle Place, Belfast BT1 1FY. It is also available online at the DOE website.
2. As district councils have the prime responsibility for investigating and dealing with noise complaints, any questions asked of the press office should be referred to the relevant district council’s environmental health departments.
3. Complaints about noise are also made to other public bodies such as the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
4. All media enquiries should be directed to the Department of the Environment Press Office on 028 90 540003. Out of office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715440 and your call will be returned.