Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of legislating to allow local authorities to take additional action to restrict noise-pollution caused by construction work sector at specific times of the year.

There are a range of legal protections in place to deal with construction noise.

The Control of Pollution Act 1974 already enables local authorities to serve a notice imposing requirements on construction or demolition works. This includes the hours during which the works may be carried out, recognising the importance of balancing noise management with the need to carry out vital construction, demolition and improvement works. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities are responsible for investigating complaints of noise nuisance including construction noise that either substantially interferes with the use or enjoyment of a home or business premises.

During the COVID pandemic, the Government issued temporary revised guidance which encouraged a flexible approach to the enforcement of planning conditions controlling construction site working hours. This flexible approach came to an end on 30 September 2021.