Residents who live next door to a sex toy factory are taking action after complaining of severe noise at 4am.
Lovehoney in Bath has been forced to apply for retrospective planning permission for four heat pumps installed in its warehouse.
The company, which specializes in sex toys, lingerie, bondage kits and condoms, was founded in Bath in 2002.
It grew quickly and moved into a warehouse the following year.
But disgruntled locals have expressed their anger after the pumps were turned on at 4am every day.
According to planning documents, the measured noise was 16 decibels louder than ambient noise.
A noise impact assessment carried out by acoustical consultant Chris Parker-Jones recommended housing the problematic units in acoustic enclosures.
He added in the report: “It is understood that some of the surrounding residential areas complained to Bath City and North East Somerset City Council about noise levels and subsequently requested the creation of this NIA.” .
He said simply moving them, replacing them with quieter alternatives or putting up fences or fences around them won't achieve the level of reductions needed.
He added: “The applicant should therefore consider re-housing the affected unit within a soundproof enclosure and provide the enclosure with updated plans and datasheets verifying that noise emissions can be minimized. It will need to be submitted by the manufacturer to the local planning authority,” he added. It is 16dB. ”
Gary Box, from Lovehoney, said the application was to install a heating and cooling system to replace a temporary gas boiler and electric chiller.
He writes: “This unit is a government-approved stand-alone air source heat pump.
“This was installed to reduce both energy consumption and carbon emissions.
“This was also done to make Lovehoney a more sustainable company.
“This eliminates gas consumption and eliminates the use of fossil fuels.”
A decision on the application will be made by Bath City and North East Somerset City Council at a later date.
Lovehoney and Bath and North East Somerset Council have been contacted for comment.
6 ways to deal with noisy neighbors
Around 1,000 neighbor noise incidents are referred to councils across the country every day.
Mary Rouse, property litigation solicitor at wrighthassall.co.uk, shares her advice for dealing with noisy neighbours.
1) calm down please. It is important to deal with the situation in a rational way. Explain how the noise is affecting you, even though your neighbors may not realize it.
2) Practice what you preach. If you regularly complain to them, it is important that they do not bring up similar arguments against you. Minimize noise levels in your home.
3) Continue recording. If your neighbors won't listen to your concerns, record the amount of time they are disruptive. This is important in case you need to lodge a complaint with local authorities.
Four) Also consider soundproofing. Simple soundproofing can often make a bad situation a little more bearable. There are plenty of affordable options, from using rugs, carpets and upholstery to absorb sound, to installing specialist tiles on ceilings and party walls.
5) Do not retaliate. Never give in to frustration. Sometimes it feels like the only way to solve a problem is to retaliate and play loud music or otherwise cause chaos. However, this will only escalate the problem and will be detrimental in the future.
6) Seek legal help. If you are unable to resolve the situation yourself, first file a complaint with your local authority. If this does not help, please seek legal assistance.
