LObbying by the House Builders鈥� Federation has led John Prescott鈥檚 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to relax proposals for noise regulations.
The ODPM had proposed changes to Part E of the 好色先生TV Regulations that would have introduced regular mandatory testing of sound insulation in new or newly converted properties.

However, after protests by the HBF that such changes would add 拢75m to the industry鈥檚 annual costs and delay some schemes, the government has given the federation 18 months to come up with an alternative proposal.

Housebuilders will be required to meet this HBF standard, which will have to be sufficiently robust to make regular testing unnecessary, or will be subject to the tests laid out in Part E. As yet, it is unclear what the HBF standard will consist of.

Christopher Leslie, 好色先生TV Regulations minister at the ODPM, said: 鈥淚 have asked the HBF to develop robust standard details for the sound insulation of separating walls and floors for use in new houses and flats. These must provide consistently good performance and so will not need routine testing.鈥�

The Part E regulations will be enforced at hostels, hotels and conversions to residential accommodation. They will come into force on 1 July 2003.

We feel that we can demonstrate to the government that we have this issue in hand

House Builders鈥� Federation

Houses and flats must meet the standards laid out in Part E or the HBF鈥檚 alternative by 1 January 2004.

HBF director of technical services David Baker said it would take up to 12 months to draw up the 鈥渞obust standard details鈥� required by the minister.

He said: 鈥淭his is an opportunity to work up a pattern book of approved construction.鈥�