The Control of Pollution Act, 1974 gives the Council's environmental health department special powers to control noise on construction and demolition sites. Working hours can be restricted and conditions enforced on the machinery being used.
Legal responsibilities
Professional building firms must comply with the relevant codes of practice.
Restricted hours
General construction work should be restricted to the following hours:
Monday to Friday – 8am to 6pm
Saturdays – 8am to 1pm
Noisy work prohibited on Sundays/Bank Holidays
Noisy activities include:
- using hand tools - hammers and saws
- using power tools - hand-held tools including drills, saws and sanders
- using plant equipment - such as Kango hammers, pneumatic hammers, cement mixers, large power saws, planers, compressors and generators
- piledriving
- erecting and dismantling of scaffolding
- partition walls - can produce high levels of noise for neighbours.
Avoiding problems caused by building work
Ensure neighbours are given advance warning of any work due to be carried out and let them know how long it will last.
For more information
Download this leaflet: Noise from small-scale building works (pdf 29Kb).
(To view this document, you will require Adobe Acrobat, this can be downloaded via the link on the right.)
For general enquiries, phone 020 8921 8921 or email noise.team@greenwich.gov.uk.
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