Kensington tops list for noise complaints

KENSINGTON and Chelsea was today named the worst borough in London for noise complaints.

The area, where terraced houses sell for an average of £4.2 million, is home to stars including JK Rowling and Robbie Williams. It had 13,790 complaints last year, the equivalent of more than 87 for every 1,000 inhabitants.

Many were about loud music, building work and buskers. Neighbouring Westminster came a close second out of the city’s 33 boroughs, according to Freedom of Information responses. It had 16,915 complaints within a population of about 242,300 — the equivalent of 69.8 complaints per 1,000. Hammersmith and Fulham came in third with about 50 complaints per 1,000. All 33 boroughs responded to a FoI request by noise monitoring experts Cirrus Research.

Unlike other parts of the UK, which have also been surveyed, one of the most common causes of a complaint in London was construction, as well as music and shouting neighbours.

Bottom was Lewisham, with 458 complaints logged — 1.5 per 1,000. Noisy neighbour complaints topped the list there. In Camden, there were 205 complaints about street entertainers, six of whom were prosecuted. In Hackney two people complained about illegal raves and 10 about religious services that were too noisy.

The data is being used by Cirrus Research to build up a UK noise nuisance map. Of boroughs such as Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and Hammersmith and Fulham topping the list, marketing manager James Tingay said: “It could be down to the amount of construction taking place in these sought-after areas, or simply the residents are just not prepared to put up with noise nuisance.”