Hazelwood residents fed up about noise
“Every time we complain, they switch on the fans on the side of the building, raising the sound level to 110dBc,” said the concerned resident.
Hazelwood residents are fed up with the loud noise made by the air-conditioners of a new R180 million property development in the area.
Local residents complain that the air-conditioning fans at the newly-completed posh Die Klubhuis are permanently on and exceed the 65 decibel (dB) legal limit for noise pollution.
A resident, who did not want to be named, said he has since measured the noise level which averages 92dB on the C scale.
“Every time we complain, they switch on the fans on the side of the building, raising the sound level to 110dB,” said the concerned resident.
Complaints were directed at the city council and residents were told that they would e-mail Atterbury Properties to sort out the noise, but to no avail.
“We phoned Atterbury Properties and a someone named Wessel told us they are within the 65dB legal limit,” he said.
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“This is absolutely not true since we cannot sleep,” the resident told Rekord. “I have since ordered sound recording equipment from the States to log the noise from week to week.”
He further alleged that one of Atterbury Properties’ contractors had been busy in the area for the past year, causing noise and blocking residents’ driveways.
Another resident complained that Atterbury Properties broke a lock at a restricted area in Maroelana to illegally dump waste there.
Atterbury Property spokesperson Zahn Hulme said the company abides by the rules and do their utmost best to ensure that their buildings are aesthetically pleasing.
“The noise was actually emanating from the PF change-room fans and the various fans on the roof gutters. A professional team we appointed to inspect the issue measured noise levels of 62dB at our boundary and 49dB on the street.”
She said the PF fans were put on a timer and now switch off at 21:30. The rest of the fans run from 07:00 to 19:00.
Hulme said Dely Road is being broadened and upgraded. Their contractor works by the side of the road so as to cause minimal traffic disruption as well as ensuring the safety of road users and workers.
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“Part of the rubble came from the upgrading and the contractor has already removed this as well as other rubble that was already there when Atterbury’s upgrades began,” said Hulme.
Ward 82 councillor Siobhan Muller said it is very unfortunate when developers come into residential areas and create problems instead of enhancing the area. Trust in development is undermined when this happens.
“The invasion into the Spruit area is not the first time. The developer must clear the area and rehabilitate it with grass re-seeding. That locks were removed from a restricted area is also unacceptable.”
Muller said the noise complaint must be resolved as Hazelwood is foremost a residential area.
She said health inspectors will be asked to investigate the matter.
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