A recent news story has shone a light on the importance of noise when considering residential development.
The Night and Day Café in Manchester Northern Quarter was served a noise abatement notice in November 2021 due to complaints from a resident who moved into a next door flat during the Covid-19 Lockdowns.
The venue, which was recently described as a “vital organ of culture” by Elbow singer Guy Garvey has operated as a bar and music venue since 1991, long predating the adjacent residential building. However, over the last year and a half its future has been at risk due to noise complaints and an alleged statutory nuisance.
Blame has been shared around the residents, developers, the builders, the venue and Manchester City Council, with noise limits and reduction of low frequencies being proposed by all sides. However, the future of the venue is to be determined in magistrates court later this year.
The Night and Day Café is by no means the first venue to struggle with newly introduced residential developments changing their operation, or closing them completely. In order to avoid situations such as this, an amendment to the National Planning Policy Framework included an “Agent of Change” principal, stating that new developments must be integrated effectively with existing businesses, specifically mentioning music venues.
The document now states that “unreasonable restrictions” should not be placed on the existing businesses, and the new development should be required to provide suitable mitigation before the development is completed.
Therefore, it is more important than ever to design these developments correctly thorough detailed assessments of existing noise environments.
If you have an upcoming project in close proximity to existing high noise level businesses, or a project introducing a bar, club or music venue close to a residential area, please send details to info@clementacoustics.co.uk to see how we can help.