Large Model Association Forum

Just a general question regarding noise and planning permission.

I have asked the BMFA for advice but they seem to be locked into the mindset that the only way to go forward is to go by Code of practise noise levels of 82dBA with a 200m separation distance between the model and noise sensitive premisis.

It appears that 82dBA at 7m is extremely difficult for any model over 10cc to comply with, so i would ask how members / clubs on here get through the process.

Please feel free to PM or email me to keep it confidential. simongwright@tiscali.co.uk

We contacted the local authority who cam to field to do a test we are now OK.

We dont, we just use common sense with a motorway to the back of us, but dont think you are safe if all your models are under 82, if you are a percieved nuisance, and annoy your neighbours, then the axe can fall, just get them as quiet as possible, and cross your fingers, as for planning permission, the council will send letters to all and sundry round you, and you can bet your bottom dollar there will be objections, just field them all in a considerate manner, and make sure you have dotted all the i s and crossed all the Ts as for methods of quietning them down, with petrol its VERY difficult, petrol engine noise does not sound as harsh as glow whine, but petrol carries further, heres a small list of what i have tried, and met with success

if you can, fit a rearward facing manifold, and a cannister into the fuselage,
mount the engine on HARD rubber, i use a cut off off a timing belt, with the teeth turned into each other,
with Zenohas, pack the fins with round bits of a rubber belt, this takes the TING out of them,

anyone else got any other ideas?


use scimitar props, not anything with blunt flat ends, i find Menz good for this, others may have suggestions here,

its also a fact that Lawnmowers etc are well above 82, but if you were running an engine on your drive, at 82 or under, and he was mowing his lawn, you can bet your boots yours will be the one complained about!!!!!

Noise and PP are to very different things. Noise is a material consideration when considering an application for change of use, which is what would technically be required. As Alan says, there is then the issue of nusiance. 82db is irrelevant when it comes to environmental health complaints, but it is useful as your defence.

My advice, is if there are no complaints, and you can operate as you are, then do nothing until challenged. Once ten years has passed you can then apply, if you need to for a certificate of lawful use, which regularises the technical change of use from agricultural field to model flying site. If you do this though, you will need documented evidence of your existance there for 10 years or more.

Also, worthy to note that it doesnt matter if you own the field, the land around it or the whole estate. Ownership does not come into noise nusiance or planning.

Chris B

It's better to ask forgiveness than be refused permission before you start.

If you're looking for a new flying site, just find one as far as possible from any houses, pay some rent & get flying with models that are a quiet as you can reasonably make them. You'll soon find out if anybody objects!

Is this a new site, or a currently used site that does / doesn't have planning permission?

I agree with Rob. Always the best thing to do is keep away from as many people as possible! Difficult in some parts of the country I know, but always worth it first! Pay your rent every 6 months and dont fly every day, limit it to a couple of days a week and then gradually increase.

If after 6 months youve had no complaints and the farmer is happy then renew for another 6.

Chris

We have been through all this red tape and bull. Legally you can fly at a site for "not more than 28 days" although no known council has any measures in place to enforce it, We were told by a local parish council we needed planning permission to fly off our site as it was farmland, To keep them sweet at great expense we applied for planning permission not knowing there was a hidden agenda, After several surveys with the enviroment dept etc we was informed there was no reason to decline planning, We recieved an email saying we would be granted permission and a letter of confirmation would be posted to us later that day. Two days later the letter arrived....... DECLINED!. A notice was fixed to the gate by a member of the parish council saying "NO MODEL FLYING BY ORDER" on plain paper, We questioned the planning officer to why we was refused permission and he said he couldnt give a reason, We asked about an appeal to witch he replied dont as we are legally entitled to 28 days and there is nothing the parish council can do about it,

Paul,

Is this planning decision recent or history? If recent it definitely needs to be appealed, as you can carry on flying in the meantime & there's nothing the Parish Council can do about it anyway. It puts external scrutiny on the planning department, especially things like an email saying permission is granted followed by a letter sating permission is refused.

If it's history, what happened with the site?

We had loads of problems with the old Goosedale site- a woman came from the council with sound measuring equipment to a guys house near the entrance, she had to get him to stop his circular saw (he made fence panels) so she could measure us. (she came up and told us this) she could not then actually measure us because of the road noise nearby....however, the complaints never went away.

We have a flying site in the middle of a huge private estate with no habitation within a mile or so radius but we do play safe by flying power models between 10 am and 2 pm and flying electric and gliders for the rest of the time. Wind strength and direction have a lot to do with perceived noise so by playing it safe we have had no complaints ..........as yet!!!!

just to show you how bad some can be, on a local slope soaring slope, the owner of a house at the bottom of the slope, and well off to one side, tried to get us kicked off the site, he claimed a noise nuisance from the wind noise off the wings on the gliders over his house, give them their due, the council who turned up with noise metres laughed, did their readings, and recorded nothing, eventually, he moved

What!! A council with a sense of humour, that’s a first Alan.

Our case was in the last 12-18 months, we have recently abandoned the site as the farmer has promised us another after the harvest is in as we just want to fly and enjoy our hobby without having to look over our shoulders all the time in fear of the killjoys whos only hobby seems to be stopping anyone enjoying themselves.