Challenge against Noise Abatement Notice for Events Venue

We represented the owner of a wedding venue in a successful challenge of a noise abatement notice issued under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, after which the local authority agreed to withdraw the notice.

Our client owns a historic property in the countryside, which is used, partially, as a Wedding and Events Venue. A limited number of events are held at the property every year (around 6 to 7).

The local authority received complaints from one neighbour of loud music and guest noise arising from weddings. After investigating these complaints, the local authority determined that a statutory nuisance existed due to excessively loud music on 12th and 26th July 2025 and served an abatement notice accordingly on 31st July 2025. Following further investigations, the local authority was also satisfied that there was a statutory nuisance caused by guest noise, and served a second abatement notice with immediate effect on 23rd October 2025.

We were instructed to appeal the second abatement notice since the deadline for appealing the first notice had already lapsed.

Shortly before the deadline to appeal, we wrote to the local authority and raised several issues (and proposed grounds of appeal) with the abatement nuisance as follows:

• the local authority had identified the incorrect fine in the notice;
• the wording of the reasons for the notice was too broad;
• the evidence to support the notice was insufficient to sustain an allegation of statutory nuisance;
• the local authority had not taken into consideration the minimal number of events held at the premises each year; and
• our client was complying with the Noise Management Plan that was in place for the venue (this plan had also been agreed with the local authority).

On this basis, we invited them to urgently withdraw the notice, and enter into discussions with our client regarding the future management of noise from events.

The local authority reviewed our proposed grounds of appeal and accepted that the notice should be withdrawn and agreed to enter into discussions with our client. This was a case where proactive engagement with the local authority before commencing formal litigation, and the local authority’s common sense response, prevented both parties from incurring significant costs in an appeal.