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Music and dogs top noise complaints

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Noisy dogs were the biggest source of irritation in the Daventry area

Loud music and barking dogs have been revealed as the biggest sources of noise complaints in part of a county.

Figures obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) show 1,845 complaints were received by West Northamptonshire Council in the last year.

Music was the biggest gripe in Northampton, while a third of Daventry's reports were about barking dogs.

The LDRS said anyone who did not comply with an order to reduce noise risked prosecution.

Getty Images A person in a bed covers their head with a pillow as if trying to avoid a loud noise. The bed linen is white and grey with yellow stripes.Getty Images
A total of 1,845 complaints have been made in the past year by people disturbed by noise in the West Northamptonshire council area

The statistics obtained by the LDRS show the number of complaints received in different parts of the West Northamptonshire Council area between September 2023 and August 2024 were:

  • Northampton: 1,141
  • Daventry: 345
  • South Northamptonshire: 359

About a third of the complaints in Northampton were about excessive noise, while one in three of those in the Daventry area were about barking dogs.

The council said it could not provide a breakdown of the cause of noise complaints in south Northamptonshire.

Getty Images A white handheld noise monitoring device with a microphone on one end is registering 128.3db.Getty Images
Monitoring devices can be used to check if noise is above acceptable limits

Second place in the Northampton chart went to "neighbour noise" (317 complaints), and barking dogs snatched third place with 197 reports.

The second biggest noise nuisance in Daventry was described as "domestic" sounds, with 106 reports, and commercial noises came in third with 76 complaints.

A council can issue Section 80 notices to people who create excessive noise, which require the racket to cease within a certain number of days.

Getty Images A young boy wearing a light green T-shirt is holding drumsticks and has his mouth wide open. A toy symbol and side drum are visible. Shelves stacked with toys are visible in the background.Getty Images
Music is a common source of complaint in the West Northamptonshire Council area

Of the 1,845 complaints in the council's area over the last 12 months, only 15 resulted in notices being served.

The LDRS said noise could be considered a statutory nuisance if it unreasonably interfered with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises, or if it injured or was likely to injure health.

If someone did not comply with an abatement (Section 80) notice, they could be prosecuted and fined, the service said.

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