The Environmental Protection Act gives local authorities legal powers to deal with complaints that are established as a statutory nuisance. Officers of the Environmental Protection Team investigate complaints of the type listed below.
If the complaint is causing a statutory nuisance, we will endeavour to resolve the matter informally, if this approach fails, we have the legal powers to serve an abatement notice requiring the nuisance to stop.
There are a number of sources that can cause a statutory nuisance other than noise. For example:
What we can do
We will investigate your complaint and attempt to resolve the matter informally. However where this approach fails we can serve a notice on the offending party requiring them to abate the nuisance. Failure to comply with an abatement notice is an offence and legal proceedings may result.
We can also provide advice on the burning of correct fuels to avoid smoking chimneys. If you are installing a new coal or log burning appliance, you need to check with us to see if you are situated in a designated ‘smoke control area’, where some fuels cannot be used.
What can you do
To assist the investigation, you will be issued with log/diary sheets so that you can provide us with the following information:
- the date and time the nuisance occurs
- a description of the nuisance
- a description of how the nuisance affects your quality of life
If you wish to submit a complaint or would like further information on this subject please contact a member of the council's Environmental Protection Team.
Useful websites
DEFRA Environmental Protection
Environmental Protection UK
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
Related pages
Noise
Air Handling Units