Information about noise control regulations in the Kawerau District, and how to make a noise complaint.

The Resource Management Act provides for:

• The protection of people from unreasonable or excessive noise.
• Effective noise control in our Community.
• The protection of people and industry to make a reasonable level of noise and
• The public, the Local Authority and the Police to work together to control noise.

Everyone is responsible for the noise he/she makes.

The Act points out that it is your duty not to make noise that disturbs or upsets other persons. Please remember that Kawerau has many people working shifts who sleep during the day.

Council policy

Council policy is that residents are entitled to enjoy an environment that, as far as practicable, is free from unreasonable or excessive noise; that in cases of unreasonable or excessive noise the strongest possible action is taken to reduce/remove the noise and prevent a recurrence of any noise situation. To give effect to this policy, the following procedures have been adopted:

1. On receiving any noise complaint an enforcement officer will attend at the location of the complaint and assess whether the noise is excessive. If the noise is excessive the enforcement officer will issue a noise direction requiring the noise to be stopped/reduced. This direction will apply for 72 hours.
2. If the noise direction is ignored or breached, an enforcement officer, with police assistance, may enter the premises and seize or make inoperable, the source of the noise.
3. In cases where there are habitual or frequent breaches of the laws on noise, the council may obtain permanent abatement notices. These carry the risk of higher fines (up to $10,000) if breached, and the risk of immediate seizures of equipment.

The council is not obliged to return seized equipment and generally withholds any seized equipment for 6 months.

Remember - Council cannot act on noise complaints after the event. To be effective, the noise control policy requires that noise complaints be telephoned to 07 306 9009 while the noise is a problem.