Fifty-eight separate pieces of equipment, such as stereo equipment, speakers and televisions have been seized from a house in Taunton Road, Bridgwater by Sedgemoor District Council’s Environmental Health team.

The Environmental Health Officers acted upon an Environmental Protection Act warrant after receiving numerous complaints about a serious noise problem with techno /rave music being played at loud volume for hours at a time.

Support for the operation was provided by Avon and Somerset Police who supplied specialist support officers, local police and dog handlers to assist in entering and controlling the property and Sedgemoor’s Clean Surrounds Team who transported the seized equipment.

There will now be a prosecution for breach of a noise abatement notice and the Council will seek a confiscation order to dispose of the seized equipment.

SDC’s willingness ‘where appropriate…’

This operation demonstrates Sedgemoor District Council’s willingness, where appropriate, to use its full range of enforcement powers to tackle this sort anti-social and nuisance behaviour which can seriously affect the quality of people’s lives.

A Sedgemoor spokesperson said “Sedgemoor have been trying to resolve the dispute for several months. A meeting was held; three informal warning letters issued. Finally, Noise Abatement notice was served. The noise nuisance was recorded on noise monitoring equipment. The warrant allowed Sedgemoor District Council to seize the equipment for breach of the Noise Abatement Notice. “

Westover councillor Steve Austen said “I am pleased to see agencies coming together with positive action being taken stop something that blights peoples lives. It is never easy to get a positive result and can take some time to obtain the necessary action but as can be seen here “persistence has paid off.