What time can construction legally start in the UK?

There is no single national law specifying exact hours, but most local councils follow guidance of 8:00am–6:00pm Monday to Friday, and 8:00am–1:00pm on Saturdays. Sunday and Bank Holiday working is generally not permitted. Your local council's Environmental Health team can confirm the rules in your area.

What law protects me from construction noise?

The main legislation is the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (statutory noise nuisance) and the Control of Pollution Act 1974 (construction noise specifically). Under Section 80 of the EPA 1990, if a council decides noise amounts to a statutory nuisance, they must serve an Abatement Notice on the responsible party.

How do I report construction noise in the UK?

Contact your local council's Environmental Health department. You can find your council at gov.uk/find-local-council. Keep a dated log of the noise (times, duration, type of activity) and any recordings, as this evidence helps the council act.

What is a Section 60 Notice?

A Section 60 Notice is issued by a local council under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. It can impose restrictions on the hours of working, the noise levels permitted, and the methods used on a construction site. Breaching a Section 60 Notice is a criminal offence.

Can I take legal action myself over construction noise?

Yes. Under Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, you can apply directly to a magistrates' court if you believe a statutory noise nuisance exists and the council has failed to act. The court can issue an Abatement Order and award costs.

BS 5228 is the British Standard Code of Practice for noise and vibration control on construction and open sites. While not legally binding in itself, it is widely referenced in planning conditions, Section 61 consents and Environmental Health enforcement.

What is a Construction Management Plan (CMP)?

A CMP is often required as a condition of planning permission on large sites. It sets out how the developer will manage noise, dust, traffic and other impacts. You can ask the council's planning department whether a CMP exists for a specific site and request to view it.

News & Guides

Guides

How to Record Construction Noise Evidence Your Council Will Accept

21 October 2026Construction Noise Assistant Editorial Team

Quick answer

Councils act on patterns, not single events. A log that records the date, time, duration, noise type and an indicative level for several weeks is usually enough for an Environmental Health Officer to investigate — and often enough to support a formal complaint.

Key takeaways

Record consistently over weeks, not once: officers look for frequency, duration and time of day.
Log the start and end time of each episode, not just that noise was heard.
Smartphone levels are indicative, not certified, so pair them with written detail and video.
Keep the original files unedited and back them up before sending anything to the council.

Environmental Health Officers are not short of complaints about construction noise. What they are short of is evidence they can act on. The difference between a complaint that gets a site visit and one that gets a polite reply is almost always the quality of the record.

What an officer actually needs

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, a council must decide whether noise is a statutory nuisance — an unreasonable and substantial interference with the use of your home. To judge that, an officer needs to know:

When the noise happens, and whether it is predictable
How long each episode lasts
How loud it is relative to the area's normal background
Whether it interferes with sleep, work or normal use of your home

The five-part log

Keep a simple written record for each episode. You can use a notebook, but a spreadsheet or the noise log tool on this site keeps it consistent.

Date and start time. Note the exact minute the noise began.
End time. If it ran all afternoon, say so. Duration matters more than intensity.
Noise type. Drilling, hammering, machinery, demolition, reversing alarms, or a combination.
Location. Where you were and where the sound came from.
Impact. "Could not take a work call between 09:15 and 10:00" is more useful than "very loud".

Taking measurements that help

Smartphone sound level apps are not calibrated instruments, and no officer will treat them as proof. They are still valuable as corroboration when used consistently.

Take readings from the same position every time
Record at least 60 seconds per measurement and note the average, not the peak
Capture the time on screen with a screenshot
Note the weather: wind on a microphone inflates readings significantly

Our Decibel X walkthrough explains the app settings to use for UK complaints.

Video is your strongest single item

A 30-second clip that shows the site, the activity and your own property boundary is worth a great deal. It demonstrates that the noise is actually coming from the site you are complaining about.

Do not edit the video. Export it from the phone and keep the original.

How to send it

Send a short covering email with the log attached as a spreadsheet or PDF. State what you want: an assessment of whether the noise amounts to a statutory nuisance, and a site visit during the activity in question.

If the council does not act and you believe the noise is a statutory nuisance, you retain the right to bring proceedings yourself in a magistrates' court under Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, after giving 21 days' written notice to the person responsible.

Frequently asked questions

Will the council accept phone recordings?

Usually as supporting evidence. Councils may rely on their own officer measurements for formal action, but a consistent phone-based log is frequently what prompts that visit in the first place.

How long should I keep logging before complaining?

Two to three weeks of consistent entries covering different times of day is generally enough to show a pattern. If the noise is intermittent, log for longer so the quieter days do not mask the problem.

Should I complain to the site as well as the council?

Yes, and keep a record of it. Many sites will adjust working methods once they know a neighbour is affected, and a documented site complaint shows the council you have tried to resolve it directly.