Retrospective permission for a day club for the over-60s run from a detached home in Uxbridge has been refused after neighbours complained of disruptive noise.
The Innovate Day Centre offers breakfast, lunch, and "a vast range of activities" to over-60s in Hillingdon, with the option of transport to and from the centre. The centre also encourages those with early-onset dementia to come and enjoy the activities provided.
The operator of the centre kept the existing residential use of the property, but also applied for a temporary 18-month permission to use the property as an "old people's day club" under use class D1.
Neighbours had however complained about disturbances in their back gardens from noise including raised voices, singing, training instruction, kitchen noises and noise from entertainers using microphones.
The Inspector considering the application felt that although "domestic use can generate loud noise" there was little doubt that the change of use had been the main source of the rising noise levels.
Inspector B Davies commented: "a large number of people undertaking organised activities throughout the workday is likely to be of a different character, larger in scale and longer in duration than that generated by a family playing music or football".
It was acknowledged that the centre was "providing a valuable service to the community" but the inspector felt this was outweighed by the harm of raised noise levels and also the possible impact on highway safety.
Noise limiting conditions were also considered, but the inspector was not convinced this would be enforceable for the activities of the centre.
