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As may be seen by Table III a considerable amount of work of
repair was carried out by owners after the service of statutory and
intimation notices.
Three notices under section 9 of the Housing Act, 1957, were served
in 1962. The owners of the premises concerned did not comply with
the notices and in consequence the Council had to carry out the work
in default. The work required by one of these notices was completed
in December whilst the work required by the other two was in progress
at the end of the year.
NOISE ABATEMENT ACT, 1960
With the coming into operation of this Act "noise or vibration which
is a nuisance " is added to the list of Statutory Nuisances for which
action can be taken under Part III of the Public Health Act, 1936. It
should, however, be noted that in the case of noise or vibration caused
in the course of a trade or business it is a defence to prove that the
best practicable means of preventing or counteracting the noise or
vibration have been adopted. Not only may the Council take action
but any three occupiers of premises who are affected by a noise may
make complaint, as to a noise nuisance, to a justice of the peace, for
action directly by the Court.
During the year complaints were received in respect of two premises.
In the first instance readings were taken on a portable sound level
meter and compared with readings obtained in various parts of the
district. The noise in this particular case emanated from a factory
smelting metal and making die castings and appeared to increase so
far as the complainants were concerned following the demolition of
a terrace of cottage property following action taken by the Council
under the Housing Act. That part of the factory housing the furnaces
was rebuilt during the year and a wooden fence erected along the
boundary. Subsequent readings taken on the sound level meter at the
same points as when the complaints were first received showed a
general drop of approximately four decibels.
The Noise Abatement Act defines no standard as to the noise level
which may be considered as a nuisance but the British Building
Research Station have issued a simplified method of assessing noise
level readings in order to give some indication as to the level which
would cause serious complaints. This method, being the only one
available, was used for assessing whether or not the noise levels in the
roads adjoining the factory were sufficiently high to be considered a
nuisance.
After consideration of all the factors involved it was considered
that the level of noise in this particular instance was not sufficient
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