Community Advisory Panel on neighbourhood noise submits recommendations on community norms to manage neighbourhood noise in Singapore
Clearer noise norms and stronger enforcement could improve residential liveability and potentially influence buyer and tenant preferences in noise-sensitive housing locations.
The Community Advisory Panel recommended extending neighbourhood quiet hours to 10pm–8am and strengthening dispute resolution and enforcement after consulting nearly 4,400 people.
Body
COMMUNITY ADVISORY PANEL ON NEIGHBOURHOOD NOISE SUBMITS RECOMMENDATIONS ON COMMUNITY NORMS TO MANAGE NEIGHBOURHOOD NOISE IN SINGAPORE
· Neighbourhood noise issues should first be resolved through informal discussion between neighbours
· Quiet hours should be extended to 10.00pm to 8.00am
· Government should review the process of community disputes and take firm action against deliberate acts of causing unacceptable noise
The Community Advisory Panel (CAP) on Neighbourhood Noise submitted their recommendations to manage neighbourhood noise to the Municipal Services Office (MSO) and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) at a closing dialogue on 19 November. The report included CAP’s definition of acceptable and unacceptable noises in the community, and their proposed community norms for residents to adopt to mitigate noise disturbances to their neighbours.
2 The proposed norms from CAP called for residents to resolve issues with their neighbours through informal discussions and relationship building, instead of approaching the authorities to intervene in the first instance. CAP also urged residents to adhere to the quiet hours, which they recommended to be extended from the current hours of 10.30pm to 7am to between 10pm to 8am. Outside of the quiet hours, the Panel also emphasised the need for considerate behaviour, and proposed a list of positive actions that residents should practise in their daily lives.
3 Recognising that community norms alone are insufficient to address all noise disputes, CAP recommended that Government review the process for managing disputes over community noise, and support it with the right enforcement powers. This will deter offenders who deliberately create unacceptable noise, such as those who intentionally irritate their neighbours with noise, and allow stronger actions to be taken against them. The suggested process included the designation of an agency to respond to and take enforcement action against neighbourhood noise issues, making mediation between neighbours mandatory, and providing greater clarity on evidence required in the resolution of disputes. The Panel also recommended the adoption of quantitative noise thresholds in the form of a decibel limit.
4 The report is a culmination of the public engagements conducted by CAP from May to Sep 2022. The CAP engaged close to 4,400 members of the public through focus group discussions, surveys, and meetings with relevant stakeholders in the drafting of the report. The infographics on the panel’s proposals can be accessed at www.go.gov.sg/noisecap-infographics while the full report can be accessed at www.go.gov.sg/noisecap-report from 19 Nov 2022, 12.00nn. Please refer to the Annex for the draft report.
5 “The Panel would like to thank the members of the public who contributed to this report. We took into consideration the different needs and perspectives that were surfaced during our engagements when formulating our proposals. While these proposals may not be an immediate solution for some of the issues, we are confident they will over time help to build a kinder and quieter Singapore for residents. We look forward to working further with the Government on our proposals,” said Dr William Wan, Chairperson of the Community Advisory Panel on Neighbourhood Noise.
6 Senior Minister of State for National Development, Ms Sim Ann, said, “I thank CAP members for their recommendations for managing neighbourhood noise, which were developed after extensive consultation. We heard the challenges faced by residents suffering from the ill effects of excessive noise, and their hopes for more to be done. CAP raised very useful suggestions, and we will look into them seriously. It is our intent under the Forward SG exercise to empower residents and partner the community in addressing community issues that Government alone cannot resolve, particularly when it involves promoting positive community norms.”
Issued By : Municipal Services Office (MSO) and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY)
Date : 19 November 2022
About the Municipal Services Office
The Municipal Services Office (MSO) works closely with 10 agencies and 17 Town Councils to improve feedback response time and resolve complex issues more effectively. MSO’s mission is to enhance the delivery of municipal services and infrastructure; enhance the citizen-centric and continuous improvement mindset across partner agencies; and promote community partnership and civic responsibility. OneService refers to a community of agencies, Town Councils and citizens working together to address municipal matters and improve the living environment for all.
About the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth seeks to inspire Singaporeans through the arts and sports, strengthen community bonds, and promote volunteerism and philanthropy. Since its inception in November 2012, MCCY has been actively engaging the arts, heritage, sports, and community and youth sectors. The Ministry aims to bring into sharper focus the efforts to build a more cohesive and vibrant society, and to deepen a sense of identity and belonging to the nation. MCCY works with its stakeholders to create an environment where Singaporeans can pursue their aspirations for a better quality of life and together, and build a gracious and caring society we are proud to call home.