The BBC’s ‘Inside Out’ programme of February 18th 2009 reported that Newcastle City Council’s specialist noise control team were called out 7000 times in 2008 compared to 250 times in 1998.  Why this exponential increase?

Lowered tolerance thresholds due to underlying stress levels?

An increasing population crammed more closely together?

People tending to liaise directly with each other less often and going through a third party to complain more readily?

A modern breed of Noise Officers effectively encouraging complaints (thereby justifying their new-found existence)?

It's hardly a relief, but there are many other legitimate activities that find themselves under threat from the disproportionate power of Statutory Nuisance law simply because they happen to unavoidably produce a degree of noise.

The sound of leather on willow at cricket pitches: View

The sound of children playing: View

The sound of community social activity in pub gardens: View

The sound of church bell-ringing: View

The sound from theme parks: View

The sound from outdoor music concerts: View

The sound of students growing up: View

Even mother nature is too noisy: View

Even pensioners risk incarceration: View

Even being environmental is apparently bad (environmentally speaking): View