Construction Sites

Construction activities are inherently noisy, often taking place in areas which are normally quiet. It is possible by the application of certain techniques to reduce the impact on the local environment to less than it would be without any controls. However, even with the use of such techniques, it is highly likely that major disruption in the immediate vicinity will occur and people living nearby must accept that as a fact of life.

Section 60 of The Control of Pollution Act 1974 gives the Council the power to serve a Notice, which can impose requirements upon a developer to undertake the work in a prescribed manner. Similarly under section 61 of the Act, a developer can apply to the Council in advance of works being carried out, for consent to adopt proposed methods of working, including type of equipment to be used, procedures for carrying out the work and hours of working. However, in practice this rarely happens. If the developer does not apply in advance, the Council can apply restrictions at the planning approval stage. When hours of working restrictions are applied, these are typically 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and no working on Sundays or public holidays. If no planning restrictions are applied to a site, staff in Customer and Environmental Services can investigate to determine whether the developer is acting in a reasonable manner or whether the situation warrants restrictions being applied.