Guidance on the Control of Odour and Noise from ... - Defra

1 Introduction
1.1 Preamble
Problems associated with nuisance odour and noise emissions from commercial kitchen
exhausts are very common, particularly in urban areas where housing may be adjacent
to or even immediately above catering premises. These premises might include pubs,
clubs, restaurants and takeaways that may be open until the early hours of the morning.
Responsibility for the enforcement of statutory controls available to Local Authorities is
shared between a number of regulatory functions;
• An authority’s Building Control Officer would usually handle building Regulation
requirements relating to the structural safety of installations such as high exhaust
flues;
• Planning issues relating to new premises, and to the acceptability and positioning
of new ventilation systems that involve the provision of a large flue, are likely to
require planning consent, the application for which would be submitted to the
Local Planning Authority (or the Planning Service in the Department of the
Environment in Northern Ireland);
• Environmental Health Officers providing advice on the odour and noise control
aspects of any planning application to the Planning Officers; and
• Environmental Health Officers/Technical Officers would deal with any complaints
of statutory nuisance arising from the smell or noise of a kitchen extraction
system.
Many kitchen extraction systems are well designed, well maintained and seldom cause
nuisance problems. Others can provide a significant and recurring source of nuisance.
Currently, there is little advice available to the enforcing officers on what measures may
constitute best practicable means for abating the nuisance. Apart from the statutory
nuisance aspects, kitchen exhaust system design may also:
• influence the work place environment where temperature and fume control is
important; or
• have fire safety and hygiene implications where systems are poorly maintained.
Status of this guidance
This guidance document, prepared by Netcen an operating division of AEA Technology,
is sought by Defra, and through it the Devolved Administrations of the Scottish
Executive, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Department of the Environment in
Northern Ireland to provide clear guidance to the regulation process. Although this
guidance is not statutory, it provides information on best practice techniques for the
minimisation of odour and noise nuisance from kitchen exhaust systems.
13