Residents affected by construction noise

Darlinghurst residents are outraged at City of Sydney Council’s failure to control noise levels on a College Street development.

The Council served Queensland-based Hutchinson Builders with a Noise Prevention Notice in January on the property at 18 College Street, limiting sound levels following complaints from neighbours.

But resident Jen Wilder said nothing had changed.

“Guantanamo detainees were tortured by loud music hour after hour,” she said.

“We’re still getting industrial drilling, smashing and crashing of concrete from great heights hour after hour, day after day with no musical edge.”

The Noise Prevention Notice limits sound to around no more than 65 decibels, which is ten decibels higher than the average sound of suburban street noise.

Residents say things have gotten so bad they bought a noise detection kit themselves and measured the sound at up to 90 decibels, the equivalent of an express train going past.

East Sydney Neighbourhood Association President, Doug Purdie, who lives on nearby Crown Street, said “I find the noise from this building work constantly intrusive – I know that my neighbours have the same frustrations.”

City of Sydney Greens Councillor Irene Doutney claimed she was unaware of any complaints about 18 College Street, but said has had little success in dealing with previous ones.

“I did try to follow up another complaint in Darlinghurst but was given the bum’s rush from the planning department,” she said.

“When I asked about it the Director virtually said these things are handled in a queue as they come in … and I objected to that and I haven’t had a response since.”

The maximum penalty for a company breaking the Noise Prevention Notice is $1,000,000 and a further $120,000 each day the offence continues.

But an official statement from Council stated “Officers have continued to monitor the site and to date, the developer has fully complied with its terms.

“Should the City be satisfied that the developers are fragrantly breaching the Notice, causing offensive noise without employing reasonable preventative steps, legal action may be taken.”

Another resident, Kristy Moore said the noise continues, even though Hutchinson Builders has insisted it has installed extra sound-proof curtains and has started work at 830am instead of 7am.

“There are so many people affected by this noise and it isn’t just about slamming the surveyors and builders, as the process is what is flawed,” she said.

“Residents should not have to go to so much work to be protected.”

Councillor Doutney has said she and other Councillors take noise complaints seriously and insisted she would do what she could to look into those concerning 18 College Street.

But Ms Wilder said this was of little comfort.

“With all the lobbying and time wasting, the noise continues six days per week during daylight hours at intolerable levels,” she said.

“The psychological stress of concrete drilling seems to penetrate through to the bone … and I can’t think.”

By William Brougham