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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Optima><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Optima'>The following response to the ‘Livewithit’
epetition has just been published:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:36.0pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt'>Were the changes proposed made to the
legislation, a statutory nuisance causing activity, such as a factory or a
noisy</span></font><span lang=EN-GB> neighbour</span><span lang=EN>, could be
allowed to continue to blight an area as they happened to be resident before
the complainant. Case law states that this situation cannot be allowed to
happen. <span style='background:yellow'>In relation to the noise sources
specifically mentioned, however, it seems unlikely that an Environmental Health
department would consider church bells or children playing in a playground to
be considered a statutory nuisance as they very well may be considered
reasonable for the area.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style='margin-left:36.0pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt'>As the statutory nuisance regime is currently
structured, the determination of whether a statutory nuisance exists cannot be
made until a qualified representative of an Environmental Health department
witnesses the noise. As such, discouraging residents to make
complaints relating to noise could be argued to be counterproductive.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:36.0pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt'>It is for these reasons that there are no
plans at present to change the law to</span></font><span lang=EN-GB> favour</span><span
lang=EN> existing noise sources over new residents.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Optima><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Optima'>As is so often the case, it would appear that those
making the rules have absolutely no idea of what is actually happening at the
coal face!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Optima><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Optima'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Optima><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Optima'>Richard<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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