Incompatible Activities Indicators (what we measure)

What are incompatible activities?

Incompatible activities happen when one activity has a negative impact on another nearby activity. This can happen when farming activities affect nearby dwellers, or dwellers intrude on farmland or nearby businesses. The most common negative effects that create these situations are loud noise, offensive odours and nuisance from dust, vibration, and glare. Incompatible activities have a higher chance of occurring if new developments and new houses are built in certain areas such as sites neighbouring industrial spots or established intensive farms (e.g. chicken and pig farms).

Our Situation

The most common complaint received by Council is about loud noise. Most of these complaints are related to loud stereos in urban areas; however noise from activities such as industry, farming and other activities also have negative effects.

Odour from farm activities, particularly from chicken and dairy farming, along with other activities such as effluent disposal, smoke from fires, and rubbish, also contribute to the issues within the district.

Dust and vibration also create a nuisance, although these are less common than noise and odour. Noise complaints have increased between 2000/01 and 2011/12, while other complaints including odour have remained more constant.  There has been only one complaint about vibration, one about glare, and no requests for rehabilitation during this time. More than 90 per cent of noise complaints since 2010/11 have been about loud music in residential areas.

The two consents granted in 2011/12 were for additional dwellings directly associated with the intensive farms they were located within 500 metres of.