Entertainment noise from venues or outdoor festivals

Under the Licensing Act 2003, a public entertainment premises/event is likely to require somekind of license - usually, this includes a noise condition to keep disturbance to the general public at aminimum. If noise levels go above those stated on the license, a noise abatement notice can be enforced by the local council under the Control & Pollution Act 1974 and/or the Environmental Act 1995.

The Live Music Act 2012 extends the range of live music performances that can take place without a license, but does not exclude these performances from the obligations of the Control and Pollution Act 1974.

How often an entertainment noise assessment is required depends on the local authority. If, for example, an event is a regular event held over a few days, some local authorities will insist on a new noise assessment every year. Others will only require the assessment to be reviewed annually and a new noise assessment conducted every 5 years.

To help you protect your license and avoid a noise abatement notice being issued, we can:

• Assess noise emissions from your premises or event to the nearest residential property by:

• Conducting a noise survey around the existing or proposed venue;
• Creating a noise model, using the noise survey findings, to predict the likely noise emissions.

• Construct and agree on a noise management plan which is approved by all involved
• Monitor noise levels:

• For an internal venue; by conducting a commissioning exercise to check acoustic treatments and enhancements are performing correctly, and any limiters are correctly setup
• For an outdoor festival; by equipping a large team with sound level meters, or a smaller team with remote noise monitoring stations at the nearest residential property/noise sensitive receptor

Our aim is always to minimise the noise impact on the nearest residential area without unduly compromising audience satisfaction, whether in a small local venue or large-scale outdoor festival.

Working on projects like Hard Rock Hotel, which incorporates a live music venue with a hotel and eating space, are a great example of how Adnitt Acoustics can provide high-performing, design based noise control for entertainment venues.