Noise impacts of night-time outdoor leisure activities

The project investigates the noise impacts of night-time leisure activities in inner-city areas. The starting point is a growing conflict of interests: public viewing events, clubs, concerts and open-air events contribute to the quality of urban life and economic attractiveness, but can lead to significant noise nuisance for local residents, particularly at night. At the same time, the legal framework is fragmented; various sets of regulations limit permissible noise levels, and from residents’ perspective, responsibilities are not always clear. Furthermore, empirical evidence on the specific effects of noise and nuisance has so far been limited. The aim is therefore to systematically investigate conflict situations, influencing factors and successful approaches to noise reduction and conflict prevention, and to derive practical recommendations for local authorities, event organisers and other stakeholders.

The project combines qualitative and quantitative survey methods and compares different leisure activities and locations. Licensing authorities, event organisers, local residents and visitors will be surveyed in order to bring together different perspectives on noise perception, causes of conflict and existing solutions. The results will be analysed across different target groups and activities and compared with the legal and practical framework. Building on this, prioritised recommendations for action and possible regulatory options for noise reduction, increasing acceptance and improving communication will be developed and presented in practical formats for the relevant stakeholder groups.