Neighbours of a student block fed up with a high-pitched whine from a student block’s heat pump are calling for action.
People living next to Holden Court in Hollingdean Road have enlisted the help of their councillor, Pete West, who is set to raise the issue at this month’s full council meeting.
He refers to the unit as air conditioning, but Prestige Student Living, which manages the block, says it is an air source heat pump – an eco-friendly alternative to a gas boiler. It also says it has attempted to dampen the noise.
Cllr West’s submitted question says he has already spoken to Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning enforcement department, but the noise continues.
In May, Councillor West, alongside fellow Roundhill ward councillor Raphael Hill, said he flagged it to council leader Bella Sankey – who, he says, agreed the situation was unacceptable.
He says he is also encouraging residents to make their own submission to the full council meeting on Thursday 26 November.
Councillor West said: “Residents of Roundhill are living in distress. For 18 months they have been subjected to constant high-pitched whining from non-compliant air conditioning on Holden Court.
“At 80 metres, one couple is experiencing a noise increase above ambient of 25-30 per cent.
“Moreover, the whine sits in a frequency range, like the sound of a baby crying, the brain is unable to ignore.
“Despite constant contact with planning enforcement, no progress has been made in resolving the problem.”
Holden Court has 135 studio bedrooms with communal facilities. It has been built on a site earmarked by the council for student housing before its original application was submitted.
A spokesperson for Prestige Student Living said: “When we became aware of a noise complaint from a local resident relating to the air source heat pump, the team at Holden Court worked closely with the landlord and acted promptly, engaging with Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning enforcement team to address the concerns.
“Noise attenuation works have since been undertaken to the plant. We have received no complaints from residents at Holden Court regarding noise from the air source heat pump.”
The full council meeting is due to start at Hove Town Hall at 2pm on Thursday 26 November. The meeting is scheduled for webcast.
