rampART served with noise abatement order
p | 18.11.2005 02:21 | Free Spaces | London
The rampART social centre has been served with a noise abatement order this week after claims of so-called statutory nuisance during samba band practise on the 9th Nov. Breach of the order could result in prosecution and upto 20,000 pouns fine and seizure of 'noise making equipement'.
Samba practise has been taking place at the rampART from around 8pm till 10pm most wednesdays for the last few months. However the noise excaping the building on the 9th was greater than previously due to a smashed window pane at the front of the building.
There is discussion about the possibility of appealing the noise abatement order as there are good grounds to overturn the order. However, no legal aid is available for such an action and failure would result in thousands of pounds in court costs. Additional it might result in an order against a named person instead of simply 'the occupier'.
Samba practise has been taking place at the rampART from around 8pm till 10pm most wednesdays for the last few months. However the noise excaping the building on the 9th was greater than previously due to a smashed window pane at the front of the building.
There is discussion about the possibility of appealing the noise abatement order as there are good grounds to overturn the order. However, no legal aid is available for such an action and failure would result in thousands of pounds in court costs. Additional it might result in an order against a named person instead of simply 'the occupier'.
When the rampART was orginally opened in the summer of 2004, the collective sound proofed the hall before the first event was allowed to take place. Recently however there has been trouble with local kids smashing the windows and trying to set light to the sound proofing. These attacks have compromised despite constant attempts to repair and patch up the windows.
As a result of a complaint by a neighbour on the 9th, a proposal was made at last mondays weekly rampART meeting that the hall windows should be bricked up to further improve the sound proofing and address the problem of the kids smashing the windows and poking burning paper and boxes of matches through the holes.
Around 400 pounds worth of reclaimed bricks have been delivered to the rampART and work has begun on bricking up the windows (adding 22 db of sound attenuation). Many people have volunteers to help, if you fancy learning a bit of brick laying, then pop in over the next few days. As the sound proofing improves, ventilation issues will become worse and will need to be addresses. Extractor fans and ducting are be sought to provide forced air circulation (if you have something suitable, for example car radiator fans, then please donate them to the rampART).
As well as the works on the sound proofing, the samba band have agreed to begin and end their practise an hour earlier than previously. Additional anyone attending events at the rampART are asked to be considerate of the neighbours especially when leaving (previous complaints have generally been about people being noising outsite rather than music excaping from the hall). People are also asked to refrain from pissing in the street which actually seems to be the core complaint of the neighbour who got the council involved!
As a result of a complaint by a neighbour on the 9th, a proposal was made at last mondays weekly rampART meeting that the hall windows should be bricked up to further improve the sound proofing and address the problem of the kids smashing the windows and poking burning paper and boxes of matches through the holes.
Around 400 pounds worth of reclaimed bricks have been delivered to the rampART and work has begun on bricking up the windows (adding 22 db of sound attenuation). Many people have volunteers to help, if you fancy learning a bit of brick laying, then pop in over the next few days. As the sound proofing improves, ventilation issues will become worse and will need to be addresses. Extractor fans and ducting are be sought to provide forced air circulation (if you have something suitable, for example car radiator fans, then please donate them to the rampART).
As well as the works on the sound proofing, the samba band have agreed to begin and end their practise an hour earlier than previously. Additional anyone attending events at the rampART are asked to be considerate of the neighbours especially when leaving (previous complaints have generally been about people being noising outsite rather than music excaping from the hall). People are also asked to refrain from pissing in the street which actually seems to be the core complaint of the neighbour who got the council involved!
p
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