By Rory Sheehan and Beth Hughes

WREXHAM Council has received more than 3,500 complaints about noise in the last five years.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by the Leader has revealed the number of complaints residents have made about noise from 2013 to 2018.

Among the most complained about causes of noise are barking dogs, and heavy machinery being used.

In one year alone, more than 800 complaints were made to the council by residents unhappy with 'nuisance noise'.

A breakdown of the figures received by the Leader shows that in 2013 the council received 690 complaints about noise, including one about a busker and two about car music.

This figure rose to 806 for 2014 with more than 250 complaints made about barking dogs across the county, and 23 reports of noisy parties.

In 2015 the figure dipped to 684 complaints with almost 500 of these being about barking dogs.

For 2016, the figure fell again with 518 noise complaints made to Wrexham Council.

These complaints including 21 about 'animals and birds', two for shooting, and 17 related to DIY.

Last year, 2017, the figure rose to 554 complaints and so far this year, in 2018, there have been more than 300 made to the authority.

There is guidance on Wrexham Council's website about how to make a complaint about noise, which states: "A statutory nuisance is something that, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, affects a person’s health or causes unreasonable disturbance to them in their property. Property damage is never classed as a statutory nuisance; such matters should be resolved by both parties as a civil matter.

"Noise is the most frequently complained of nuisance issue although there are other things that can be considered as nuisances. These include smoke (e.g. from garden bonfires), dust, odour, and accumulations. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 lists other specific types of nuisance."

The council also has the facility to accept noise recordings using a Noise App (available on Android and iPhones) once a complaint has first been formally registered with the contact centre.

This app enables noise complaints to be received by the authority at any time of the day or night with the facility to send brief noise recordings direct to investigating officers.

To register a noise complaint, email the complaint to contact-us@wrexham.gov.uk or use the online enquiry form.

You must include your name and address, a telephone number and the address of the property where the noise is coming from, along with a description of the type of noise that you are complaining about.

Residents are advised that anonymous complaints are not investigated.

Legal action can also be taken where a private individual or company takes the matter to a magistrates’ court themselves.

Wrexham Council's website states there are several reasons why this may be done including the council not being satisfied that the level of disturbance being suffered is a Statutory Nuisance as described under Section 79 of The Environmental Protection Act 1990, and is unable to assist any further.

The other reasons are that it may not have been possible for an officer to witness the problem, or that under Section 82 of The Environmental Protection Act 1990 if you believe you are affected by a nuisance you are entitled to make a complaint directly to a Magistrates’ Court and request the issue of a summons.