Noise laws

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02 Apr 2007 12:00 AM by BecsGriffin Star rating. 1 posts Send private message

Hi, does anyone know where I can find out the laws on noise control within suburban areas? We live in a quiet neighbourhood, and this summer will be our first in Spain. We have heard that a bar some distance always opens its doors in the summer and plays the most dreadful karaoke until the early hours. Can anyone offer advice, for example, is this something the police deal with? I have tried Guardia Civil and Town Hall on this issue but have not yet had a response despite writing in Spanish. Also, does anyone know the laws regarding decibels, out-door music, etc.? I would appreciate some help on this as getting the law on anything out of the authorities is impossible.



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02 Apr 2007 2:34 PM by johnone Star rating in La Reserva de Marbel.... 233 posts Send private message

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Hi

I hope this is of help, but it might not be what you want to hear

This is from DEFRA   http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/research/climate/nannexb.htm

Laws and Technical Memoranda Relating to Environmental Noise

There were no national legislation specifically on noise exposure or recommendations for noise limits prior to 1993. However, since 1985 some regions have adopted regulations on noise, including road traffic and industrial noise(2).

At the present time there is no national legislation on noise exposure in Spain. However, several regions and towns have adopted local regulations and ordinances on noise since the mid-1980s.

Furthermore, since 1983, several towns have introduced local ordinances concerning external and internal noise levels from industry but not from road traffic. These ordinances recommend the adoption of zoning within towns. However, many municipalities have not adopted the concept of noise control. As a result of regional texts and other inadequacies, the Ministry for Public Works, Transportation and the Environment (MOPTA) initiated a study in 1993 to propose national legislation - defining, amongst other things, sources of noise, receiving environments, and appropriate limits applicable to the whole of Spain.

Spanish project law of 1988 does, however, require an EIA for new roads. Noise is considered as part of this process, but only succinctly. For national roads, there are attempts to apply relatively low thresholds during EIAs for new roads. Recommended noise levels in residential areas are 55 dB(A) and 45 dB(A) for day and night-time respectively. These levels imply the use of noise barriers or modifications to roads to achieve such levels.

Up until 1993, there was also no official specific methodology for the calculation of road traffic noise levels, no technical regulations concerning the engineering design and construction of corrective measures, and no legislation allowing the inclusion of noise considerations in town planning.

In January 1997, the Environment Ministry began work on a new air-quality law and it has been reported that a draft noise pollution law is planned in the near future.

John


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02 Apr 2007 7:02 PM by Roberto Star rating in Torremolinos. 4551 posts Send private message

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God help you if you moved to Spain for peace and quiet! Two old ladies waiting to be served in the local butchers can be ear-splitting, let alone your local karaoke bar. I doubt very much if more than 5% of all mopeds in Spain have silencers fitted, and most of our local buses probably would fail to meet whatever standards exist for controlling both air and noise pollution. Add to that the barking dog problem......

Where we live, there is a small garden opposite, which fills up on Friday and Saturday nights with youngsters doing the "botellon". The noise goes on 'till 3, 4 and 5 in the morning. When we ring the local police, they usually come out, and usually the crowd moves on. We got fed up with ringing, so went to the Town Hall to see what could be done. They were very sympathetic and helpful, asking us to fill out a denuncia specifically addressed the Mayor. Apparently, although the botellon is illegal, the police can not move them on unless they have somewhere else to go, and until the Mayor decides where that place should be, the police are virtually powerless to act. Can't quite figure that one out, but that's what we were told. We suggested the square outside the Mayor's house would be a good spot.

Late night noise does however seem to be a hot topic, as many bar owners will tell you. There are strict rules for new bar licence applications, but it seems to be taking a long time for established premises to be brought into line, although this varies a great deal from one region to another. For example, the Punta Ballena in Magalluf, which was once one of the roudiest night spots in Europe, is now so quiet after midnight, when all terraces must be taken in and double doors closed, that you can hear a pin drop. Bit silly really, since anyone with an apartment there either owns a bar or is drinking in one! 

No idea what the law says on this issue; as you said, very difficult to actually get any info, but I found the following articles, which seem to suggest all is not lost:

 

From Sur in English, November 2004:

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has found Spain guilty of noise pollution, sentencing the authorities to pay damages to a plaintiff, Pilar Moreno, who lives in the centre of Valencia. The level of decibels recorded in her home at 3.30 a.m. on certain nights was double that permitted by law. This decision opens up the way for thousands of city dwellers affected by the racket made by young people drinking in the streets at night to sue town halls all over Spain.
Also found this, dated February 2007:
Zaragoza Town Hall has been ordered to pay a total of €385,000 in compensation to fifty-five residents, who will each receive €7,000. The ruling of the court, against which the Town Hall has the right to appeal, finds the council guilty of failing in its duty to control noise levels in the city centre popular night-spot zone (photo). According to the president of the residents association that brought the case, Ignacio Sáenz de Cosculluela, the ruling also means the onus will no longer be on complainants to provide evidence when bringing similar cases in the future and obliges the council to ensure no further breaches of exisiting noise pollution legislation.
And this, March 2007:
The regional government of Murcia is preparing a decree which will oblige Town Halls in the Region to implement measures to control noise pollution. They will include drawing up a ‘noise map,’ setting out maximum decibel levels for all areas of the town, according to their location.

It follows a recent ruling by a judge in the Canary Islands, where the Santa Cruz de Tenerife carnival was temporarily halted when local residents complained about the noise.

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02 Apr 2007 11:13 PM by JeansSis Star rating. 2376 posts Send private message

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03 Apr 2007 3:33 PM by Gillespie Star rating in Costa Calida Area. 608 posts Send private message

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Roberto quote-

"The regional government of Murcia is preparing a decree which will oblige Town Halls in the Region to implement measures to control noise pollution. They will include drawing up a ‘noise map,’ setting out maximum decibel levels for all areas of the town, according to their location."

Mmm, I wonder how much compensation the City Hall in Murcia are going to pay the poor people who now have new motorways criss-crossing their gardens, literally 10 -20 meters on a house I refused to take on the other day.  I looked down the new, as yet ,unopened Autovia and saw hundreds of similar properties!! 

I see no reason why, during peak times, the noise levels will go over the permitted allowances.  What happens then?


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03 Apr 2007 4:33 PM by EOS Team Star rating in In Spain of course!. 4015 posts Send private message

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I think they should implement a noise law to restrict moped exhaust volumes!  When those mopeds whizz up the road at 2 in the morning it sounds like Concorde taking off.  Not good for those with a bad heart.

One of our neighbours actually got so annoyed with it one day that she even threw a bucket of water over them as they zoomed past one night

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03 Apr 2007 5:11 PM by FibbyUK Star rating in UK, Surrey & Playa F.... 2349 posts Send private message

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A large baking potato straight up the exhaust pipe works wonders..................


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03 Apr 2007 5:18 PM by JeansSis Star rating. 2376 posts Send private message

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03 Apr 2007 6:27 PM by Roberto Star rating in Torremolinos. 4551 posts Send private message

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Fibby, a banana fits better! (remember the scene in Beverly Hills Cop?)

Janice, I had the impression your black moped was here in Spain? If so (and even if not) I applaud your stance re: crap cheap exhaust pipes. Well done - if only everyone was so considerate.


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03 Apr 2007 7:13 PM by JeansSis Star rating. 2376 posts Send private message

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03 Apr 2007 7:14 PM by Rixxy Star rating in San Pedro. 2010 posts Send private message

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Justin - tell them a water filled balloon is better and is easier to aim. I used to aim them off the balcony when I lived in Fuengy, but dont tell anyone!

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03 Apr 2007 7:20 PM by JeansSis Star rating. 2376 posts Send private message

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03 Apr 2007 7:51 PM by bobaol Star rating. 2253 posts Send private message

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How about a piece of piano wire stretched across the road about 1 metre up?? That'd fix the noisy sods



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04 Apr 2007 12:30 AM by Roberto Star rating in Torremolinos. 4551 posts Send private message

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In a previous life I had a bar in Palma de Mallorca and the customers used to fill up the street outside, only chatting, but enough of them to p*ss off the people in the apartments above. One neighbour took to throwing buckets of water - with BLEACH in. The punters would then start to aim bottles at windows, and things got a little out of hand

That was a long time ago; Palma is now as quiet as Magaluf, and I'm a moaning neighbour in Torremolinos. (And now you all know why I had to leave the island!)


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04 Apr 2007 12:40 AM by Smiley Star rating in San Pedro de Alcanta.... 2502 posts Send private message

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Janice gotta tell you they explode a lot better than balloons too - now why would i know that - much more aerodynamic as well - guess a bit like Concorde with the droop snoot -

I cannot get this image out of my head now of you in leathers tonning it up the M5, hair flowing out from your helmet in the wind - jacket zipper slightly lowered, and just a glimpse of enticement - and the boots, oh the boots!!!  Oh now what did I do that for I am all hot and bovvered now and its only April.


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04 Apr 2007 12:45 AM by Roberto Star rating in Torremolinos. 4551 posts Send private message

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Anyway, about noise laws....................

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04 Apr 2007 12:47 AM by JeansSis Star rating. 2376 posts Send private message

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04 Apr 2007 12:48 AM by JeansSis Star rating. 2376 posts Send private message

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28 Jan 2015 7:59 PM by potblack Star rating in Alicante & Singapore. 233 posts Send private message

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Is it a case of if you don’t  like it then sod off from Spain.

 

We live on a quite urbanisation in Benferri. But we are persistently awoken by car horns at 6.30am in the morning by Spanish who cannot be bothered to either get off their arse to ring a door bell or use their mobile phone. It’s not just the morning but all day and the night, why do they do it? Does anyone know?



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29 Jan 2015 9:55 AM by Hephaestus Star rating in The Peak District Na.... 1230 posts Send private message

The Spanish, like many other southerm Mediterrenian nationals, have a propensity to be noisy. They shout at each other when conducting normal conversation and consider themselves to be Placido Domingo's/Lola Betran's when breaking into song. I find this quite endearing, as it reminds me that the British way of not showing emotion is extremely boring, I find the Spanish to be very funny when they are arguing with each other.  

wink   



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