Smells or Odours

We receive many complaints about smells that affect people living nearby. Officers take the following factors into consideration when investigating complaints:

The cause of the smell
The nature of the smell
How often it happens
How long the smell lasts
The effect it has on you and your enjoyment of your home
The methods available to reduce the smell

The odours we investigate might be due to:

Industrial processes
Filthy and verminous domestic premises
Drainage
Bonfires
Cooking smells from commercial premises only

Industrial Odours

There are a number of industrial processes in the borough which can give rise to strong smells. Some of these industries operate in close proximity to one another, hence it is important that the site responsible is correctly identified so appropriate action can be taken. It is also possible that a strong odour is the combination of a number of sites. This can make investigating the problem difficult, so as much information as possible is required.

If you wish to complain about an industrial odour, but do not know where the smell is coming from, it is important that you provide us with such information as the date, time, location of the smell, and a description of the odour. Ideally, it helps of we can be informed of the problem at the time it is occurring. If available at the time, an officer will visit to witness the smell.

Some industrial smells are regulated under the Environmental Permitting Regulations. The process for investigating odours from these processes is similar to other Nuisance investigations, but enforcement methods differ. Hence it is important that we know as much information as possible to enable to correct process to be pursued, to establish whether there is a breach of an Environmental Permit.

Muck Spreading

This is part and parcel of living in the countryside as the process of 'spreading' is a key factor in successful farming. Unfortunately the weather and positions of fields and crops dictate when farmers can spread. This often coincides with warmer days when people have windows open or are enjoying their gardens. The odours usually last for a short period of time and farmers are encouraged to use best practice whilst spreading muck in their fields.

Agricultural odours in a country location are not likely to be investigated by environmental protection unless they are excessive and are identified to be as a result of bad agricultural practices.