Building site noise is 'damaging quality of life'

A woman has said her health is being impacted by noise from a construction site near her home.

Ana Fernandes, who lives on Mont Arrive in Guernsey, and works night shifts at the island hospital, said: "I'm always tired because I haven't been sleeping properly due to the noise and that will affect my work."

Nick Reid, director of C8 Mechanical & Electrical which oversees the site, said it expected the major external phases of the project to be finished over the next two weeks.

He added: "We are fully aware of the disruptions that construction can cause and we work strictly within approved Environmental Health guidelines and hours to minimise impact."

Construction site hours are restricted to between 08:00 BST and 21:00 on weekdays to minimise noise disruption.

If a log is kept based on the nature of noise over a prolonged period of time, Environmental Health and Pollution would assess if it counts as noise nuisance.

With complaints of noise on construction sites, each case is reviewed independently.

Fernandes, a healthcare worker, said: "My child can't go outside during the day because it's so dusty - especially with these heatwaves, it's not fair."

She said she has not been able to sleep properly over the past year and claims that construction work has commenced outside of those hours.

The BBC asked for a response from C8 on this point but the company declined to comment.

Work on the mixed commercial site for offices and storage started in June 2024.

Stephen Stansfield, professor of psychiatry at Queen Mary University of London said long term exposure to excessive noise can have detrimental long term impacts on health.

He said: "Long-term exposure to noise, for instance road traffic, can have more serious effects on your health like hypertension. It can even increase a small increase in risk in in heart attacks, myocardial infarction and stroke as well.

Other construction companies on the island said creating a relationship with residents, who are impacted by construction noise, is vital.

Scott Mourant, a site manager at Omega Construction Group, said: "If you're going to be doing something that's noisy, like if you're going to be breaking up concrete all day, let them know."

Guernsey does not currently have a legal decibel limit for noise, but a trial to introduce one was agreed by deputies in May 2025 following vehicle noise complaints.

Deputy Chris Blin said tests of decibel levels should be underway, which was agreed by the last States, which he hopes will lead to stronger laws on noise pollution.

He said while there are other priorities, it is an issue for islanders.

The BBC are waiting on an update from the Committee for Environment and Infrastructure.

James Larbalestier, managing director of car garage JL Innovation, previously petitioned against the governments plan to introduce a ban on modified exhausts in a bid to cut excessive noise.

He said people need to be respectful of each other.

"I live right next to the airport, we get quite a lot of aeroplane noise. A lot of it is private jets, people going on holiday and everything.

"Should I have the right to have the airport shut down because I don't like listening to aeroplanes taking off? Absolutely not, because people like going on holidays, people like owning a private jet, some people just like going for a flight in their little plane because that's what they enjoy doing as a hobby."

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