Social Impacts of Noise and Formal Complaints – A Survey inChristchurch, New Zealand

摘要

A survey was undertaken in 2002 to determine what impacts residents of Christchurch City, New Zealand experienced from exposure to various sources of environmental noise at home. The City Council has a responsibility under the Resource Management Act 1991 for land use planning and avoidingadverse effects from activities, including noise, and to investigate and enforce provisions regardingcomplaints of unreasonable or excessive noise. A postal survey was undertaken of four samples of residentsrepresenting areas likely to be affected by air traffic, road traffic, industrial, and general neighbourhoodnoise. The areas were selected on the basis of local knowledge of possible sources of the selected targetnoise, e.g. aircraft, road traffic, and industry, with the general neighbourhood areas based on no specificeffects from any of the above. The data reported is based on 1755 valid responses representing at least 400from each of the target noise areas. The survey identified the self reported most bothersome noise experienced and their reactions to the particular target noise. Overall results showed some interesting features such as the predominance of traffic noise as a source of concern, with few formal complaints made. Additional information from noise complaints made to the Council have been analysed for each of the survey areas and compared with a number of demographic and physical housing measures to provide further information.