Forum Topic

Can loud music be played on Chiswick Common?

On Sunday afternoon a voluntary group set up an organised event On Chiswick Common.  The music was extremely loudwith a range of speakers and a strong beat. Fun entertainment for some, but not for many nearby residents. No advance warning given. Is this allowed?  Is permission and consultation needed and from whom? Anybody know?

Susan Engel ● 1153d11 Comments

Did anyone simply ask them to turn it down or was it the normal run to social media?

N V Brooks ● 1153d

What a helpful response…not! Yes of course  there were polite requests  for music to be turned down but when you have a  crowd and a massive deck of speakers,  it’s unfortunately a bit late!Good to know for the future what the rules and by laws are so that one potentially avoid future problems.  Organised community events have their place but blasting the noise so close to people’s homes is another matter. Sometimes there is some good wisdom and experience on these forums. But then of course not always.

Susan Engel ● 1153d

You're welcome and thank you for answering my question. It took less than a minute to get the answer you seek.LB Hounslow will do nothing unless the noise persists beyond 11pm. The Metropolitan Police will only respond if the "nuisance is persistent" and will not respond to one off reports.

N V Brooks ● 1153d

You sure about that ?The common is right next to a row of Houses. It’s general practice to have to ask permission to run any event involving the use of a sound system. As the Local Authority presumedly holds the music licence for that open space, they do have to be informed that it’s taking place, otherwise there could be a breach in the licence conditions. Which the Police will attend or an employee from the Local Authorities Environmental Heath section.

Bernard Allen ● 1153d

Taken from the LBH website.

N V Brooks ● 1153d

The 2003 Licensing Act only requires pre-notification if the music is played to "more than 500" people, as I read it.  Good luck in trying to get any response to a noise issue from LBH directly as their hours of operation are limited save for environmental emergencies.

N V Brooks ● 1153d

SE > "Anybody know?"Chiswick Common is subject to the pleasure grounds, public walks and open spaces byelaws. Byelaws 34 and 35 are probably of most interest: https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/3424/open_spaces_byelaws.pdf

John Whitworth ● 1153d

Very useful John. The issue of course is to get an LBH officer to respond in a timely manner to request that they desist.

N V Brooks ● 1153d

You must be on the LBH list of annoying residents, as I have had an Council officer attend a very loud event.

Bernard Allen ● 1153d

Any need for that?Lucky you!

N V Brooks ● 1153d

That only works if the LBH officer asking the noise maker to desist also has the authority to remove the council's consent. The second section says that the first section only applies if the council haven't given consent for the event.Would an LBH officer attending automatically have that right? To remove consent thereby allowing the first section to apply?Also, the people who need to be caused reasonable annoyance need to be in the grounds, so strictly speaking nearby residents being annoyed isn't relevant here.

Andrew Jones ● 1152d