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100
Environmental Health
A notice is being prepared to be issued with Building Regulation approvals, drawing attention to
the need to control noise during building works.
At the start of the Summer season the attention of ice-cream vendors was again drawn to the
necessity to comply with that part of the Noise Abatement Act dealing with the use of chimes on
the highway.
Plans of new industrial and commercial premises are examined and attention drawn to the need
to take precautions against noise and vibration where the installation of machinery or equipment
warrants this action.
Town centre developments having commercial and residential blocks in close proximity need
careful planning and precautions if nuisance from the noise is to be avoided. This may be particularly
necessary if their use is not confined to what are now regarded as the normal working hours; shift
employment is becoming more common and automatic controls operate to conditions, not time,
and on a hot night in summer, when windows are open, the refrigerator motor will switch on and
off more frequently.
It has always been assumed that the biggest source of noise nuisance in this Borough was aircraft
noise from London Airport, but some doubt must be cast on this by the lack of response by persons
entitled to take advantage of the Airport Sound Insulation Scheme. Less than 7-0% of the owners
or occupiers of private dwelling houses who could have applied for a grant have done so. Enquiries
amongst persons who have taken advantage of the scheme indicates that a considerable and worthwhile
improvement is obtained. It is difficult to understand or find an explanation for the lack of
response.
London (Heathrow) Airport Noise Insulation Grants Scheme, 1966
The object of this scheme is to help those residents in certain areas near London (Heathrow)
Airport who are seriously disturbed by the noise of aircraft. The grants are paid by the British
Airports Authority, although the scheme is administered by the Local Authorities for the defined
areas. The part of this Borough within the defined area comprises South Ward and that part of the
Hayes Ward which lies South of the Reading to London Railway Line.
Dwelling houses within the defined area are eligible for grant if the construction was completed
before 1st January, 1966, any rooms added after the 31st December, 1965 are not eligible and a single
dwelling converted after that date into two or more dwellings is treated as a single dwelling. A grant
is given for the soundproofing of rooms to a specified standard, no applications received after the
31st December, 1972 will be considered, and all insulation works done under the scheme must be
completed by 31st December, 1973.
The number of applications received during the year was 232 and the number of completed
works 146, bringing the total of works completed since the 1st January, 1966 to 392. There are 6,000
private dwellings, excluding 1,960 council houses which the Council undertake to insulate, within
the area.
WATER SUPPLIES
Main Supplies
The Borough is supplied with water from three Water Companies: Colne Valley Water
Company, South-West Suburban Water Company and the Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley