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The Best Place for a Quiet Life: Living in Noisy London

Wednesday, August 28th, 2019

The Best Place for a Quiet Life in London

 

The Best Place for a Quiet Life: Living in Noisy London

 

Quiet areas in London can be far and few between; peace & quiet can feel like a luxury in some of the capital’s busiest spots. Those who are willing to commute a little longer, seek some countryside relaxation or are simply looking for the best borough in which to raise a family should certainly consider the noise levels in the area they’re looking at.

 

Where are the quiet areas in London to live? Are there quiet places in North London? Which borough has everything my family needs? These are the kinds of questions that should be raised when looking through all  33 of the boroughs in the Greater London area.

 

Some may be surprised to hear of unexpected benefits from some of these boroughs, such as an almost paradoxical sense of calm that comes from one of the busiest boroughs in London or a seemingly impossible short journey from the outer boroughs into the inner city. 
Would these homes need soundproofing? Would offices require soundproofing if situated here? Probably not, unless they were the likes of music studios, but it’s always good to know where’s most peaceful in London. After a little bit of research, we here at London Soundproofing found some fairly ideal spots in Greater London for some silent nights in superb suburbs.

 

 

 

 

For all the information above in our interactive map of London, look below to see the pros of living in the quietest burrows in Greater London.

 

Quietest Areas in London Sutton London Soundproofing

 

Sutton:

 

  • <55 average Decibels; often peacefully quiet
  • Plenty of good schools, such as Sutton Grammar School
  • Awash with natural beauty, such as tree-lined streets and beloved lavender fields
  • Plenty of cycle paths & parks, perfect for those who love the outdoors
  • Close to the highly accommodating St Helier Hospital

 

Sutton, like a lot of South London, appears to be one of the quietest areas in London. Eco-conscious families looking to enjoy nature, healthy living and good education seem to be well within reach in Sutton, not to mention peace & quiet thanks to some of the lowest average levels of general decibels in the entirety of Greater London.

 

Quietest Areas in London Tower Hamlets London Soundproofing

 

Tower Hamlets:

 

  • <55 average Decibels; often peacefully quiet
  • Lots of delightful markets, such as Brick Lane Market and Roman Road Market
  • Glorious parks & gardens, such as Victoria Park
  • Very child-friendly: Lots of cafes that offer plenty for both parents and kids
  • Unique and hidden gems, like Wilton’s Music Hall

 

Surprisingly quiet due to its close proximity to London City Airport, Tower Hamlets has a lot going for it; as well as being a quiet area to live in London. Tower Hamlets also offers plenty for new families, providing a lot of spots for both parents and young children to enjoy.

 

Quietest Areas in London Bromley London Soundproofing

 

Bromley:

 

  • 55-60 average Decibels; often quiet
  • Lots of ‘outstanding’ rated Ofsted schools, such as Highfield Primary School and Harris Primary Academy Shortlands
  • Two large town centre parks, including the rosebed, lake and rockery filled Church House Gardens
  • Plenty of leisure spots, such as the Vue multiplex cinema and the Pavilion Leisure Centre
  • Features The Glades; a large shopping centre

 

Another example of how South London offers some of the quietest places to live in London, Bromley is often considered a wonderful spot for schools but it’s also less inclined to suffer from the likes of commuting via car; ergo the lower average of decibels.

 

Quietest Areas in London Croydon London Soundproofing

 

Croydon:

 

  • 55-60 average Decibels; often quiet
  • Quickly becoming a hot spot for innovative tech businesses
  • Plenty of easy commute possibilities for Central London
  • A new spot for great restaurants and fine dining opportunities
  • An up-and-coming borough, both for business and home values

 

Croydon is often considered a vibrant & fun place to live, perhaps making it one of the best quiet areas in London for couples. It’s also a very up-and-coming spot for an array of reasons, making it brilliant for any kind of family; but there isn’t any kind of family out there who wouldn’t savour the silence from this borough.

 

Quietest Areas in London Ealing London Soundproofing

 

Ealing:

 

  • 55-60 average Decibels; often quiet
  • From December 2019 will only have a 15 commute time into Central London
  • Boasts several private & state schools rated as either ‘good’ or better by Ofsted.
  • A superb borough for summer festivals, including the Ealing Comedy Festival and the Ealing Beer Festival
  • Features a delightful park in the town centre, known as Walpole Park

 

Perhaps the quietest area in West London, Ealing is one of those spots that can certainly be quiet but businesses and homes might actually want to consider soundproofing their office or soundproofing their houses. This is because of the various festivals that often take place here in Ealing; great for a good time, not so great for a busy office.

 

Quietest Areas in London Kingston London Soundproofing

 

Kingston-upon-Thames:

 

  • 55-60 average Decibels; often quiet
  • Boasts several state schools and higher-education colleges rated as either ‘good’ or better by Ofsted.
  • Large variety of different restaurants, coffee shops and shops; rated London’s third-best area for diversity in stores
  • A wealth of Victorian houses, with plenty of two to six-bedroom homes
  • Huge open spaces, with plans to build a charming boardwalk for the riverside 

 

The final quiet spot in South London on this list, Kingston (aka Kingston-upon-Thames) enjoys all the tranquillity of being riverside and awash with national history. This relaxed demeanour appears to be integral in this borough’s personality, which might explain how it’s one of the quietest areas to live in London.

 

Quietest Areas in London Southwark London Soundproofing

 

Southwark:

 

  • 55-60 average Decibels; often quiet
  • A huge variety of schools, including independent and private and ranging from primary school to college
  • An exceptionally green borough, with approximately 130 open spaces and parks
  • Contains two of London’s finest food markets, with an array of high street favourites and famed eateries
  • Features plenty of key transport hubs, such as London Bridge

 

Much like Tower Hamlets, Southwark may be a surprisingly silent spot in London; especially as it’s so close to the city centre. One of the contributing factors to making it a quiet area to live in London is the abundance of open areas and parks; with over 130 of them in the borough.

 

Quietest Areas in London Waltham Forest London Soundproofing

 

Waltham Forest:

 

  • 55-60 average Decibels; often quiet
  • Recently adopted a much more cycle path friendly mindset
  • Lush with greenery and open spaces, such as Epping Forest and Walthamstow Marshes
  • A local-minded community, awash with small, local businesses
  • Offers a diverse array of recreational options, such as frequent ‘yoga in the park’ sessions and vibrant mini golf courses

 

Quiet areas in North London are hard to find, yet Waltham Forest is one of those rare spots. Much like Southwark, the wealth of open areas makes this a quiet area to live in London. That, and recent decision to promote cycling in lieu of driving, which is specially designed to encourage children to cycle. This is another reason that Waltham Forest is a great, quiet place for families to live in London

 

Of course, there are a host of reasons to choose a specific borough in Greater London to live, whether you’re moving solo, living with a partner or finding somewhere new for your family. It goes without saying that some areas might need some soundproofing to make them just as quiet as these areas, but those looking for something akin to silence could do a lot worse than these boroughs.

 

Do you live in any of these areas? Does the silence act as one of the best benefits of the area? Tell us about how you find life living and working in London in the comments below, and be sure to keep up with the rest of our news and articles!

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Those Areas Need Soundproofing: Living in Noisy London

Wednesday, August 28th, 2019

Living in London, and even Greater London can be a fairly noisy experience. The city itself never seems to sleep, let alone settle down, and so those living within it are either used to the noise or will have to do so pretty soon. Between the constant sound of traffic, the relentless roadworks and the general cacophony of voices, London is undeniably, and sometimes overwhelmingly loud; so where’s a person to go if they want some peace and quiet?

Here at NNM Soundproofing, we appreciate the need for a quiet space, whether it’s a home or an office, which is why we’ve looked into where noise is hardest to ignore in London. Some reports, such as Barratt Homes’ crowdsourced data and a BBC documentary featuring hearing expert Dr Joe Sollini, has gone far enough to say that some areas (especially those alone Tube lines) would need people to wear noise-cancelling earbuds not to live in discomfort.

These studies go into rather impressive detail for each borough, with various reasons for why such loud noises or surprising silence is prevalent in each area. For those thinking of moving in or to London or whether you just need some stats to justify soundproofing your home, take a look at what our research has revealed and where, within London and Greater London, truly is loudest to live.

NMN Soundproofing London Soundproofing Quietest Areas in London

  1. <55 Decibels

Boroughs This Loud: Sutton, Tower Hamlets

Sound Comparison: A conversation at home.

Why Are They This Loud?: Some may be surprised that Tower Hamlets, being close to London City Airport, train stations and Tube links, rates so low in average decibels, but it’s the word average that’s vital to remember. The average decibels come from the lull and quiet locals experience during the weekend, as most of the noise stems from commuters.

Would it Need Soundproofing?: Probably not, unless the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty behind Sutton is filled with the sound of too many bird calls for your liking.

NMN Soundproofing London Soundproofing 2

  1. 55-60 Decibels

Boroughs This Loud: Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Kingston upon Thames, Southwark, Waltham Forest

Sound Comparison: The ambience in a fairly busy restaurant.

Why Are They This Loud?: Boroughs such as Bromley and Croydon back on to the North Downs, an area of natural beauty that seldom sees the traffic of busy city centre boroughs. Others, such as Kingston upon Thames, have plenty of calm residential areas and roads compared to louder boroughs too, explaining why they’re placed on the quieter end of the spectrum. This can be explained by how high the bar is for people living there; with homes being more commonly mansions than houses.

Would it Need Soundproofing?: Unless you’re planning on opening a music studio that only records during rush hour, you’re probably safe without soundproofing.

NMN Soundproofing London Soundproofing 3

  1. 60-65 Decibels

Boroughs This Loud: Barnet, Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Havering, Lewisham, Merton, Wandsworth

Sound Comparison: An incredibly busy office.

Why Are They This Loud?: The east of London is where decibels start to rise and become middle-of-the-road levels of noisy. Not literally, of course, but there are more roads and train stations commonly in these boroughs and they’re more commonly travelled on and through than their southern counterparts. Houses are also cheaper in these areas, which means they’ll be more heavily populated and thus noisier.

Would it Need Soundproofing?: Homes will still be havens of moderate levels of noise but offices and businesses might start to feel a benefit from the likes of resilient bars and soundproofed floors. 

NMN Soundproofing London Soundproofing 4

  1. 65-70 Decibels

Boroughs This Loud: Barking & Dagenham, Brent, City of London, Haringey, Hillingdon, Kensington & Chelsea, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Westminster 

Sound Comparison: An active vacuum cleaner.

Why Are They This Loud?: The noisier areas of London would naturally include the city of London itself, as well as busy boroughs like Westminster, and the high concentration of apartments and businesses will always result in louder, more frequent noises. These boroughs are also surrounded by equally busy, or busier, boroughs with high populations, which means the noise has nowhere else to go.

Would it Need Soundproofing?: This is when soundproofing will seem more appealing to homes, especially purchased apartments. Soundproofed walls can keep the sounds of London, and her many citizens, at bay and grant some extra tranquillity in the home.

NMN Soundproofing London Soundproofing 5

  1. 70-75 Decibels

Boroughs This Loud: Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hounslow, Lambeth

Sound Comparison: A car passing on the motorway.

Why Are They This Loud?: It’s common for problems with densely populated areas to be loud, just because so many people are living their lives. Plenty of reports attribute noise pollution in these boroughs to anything from mundane reasons like dogs barking to business-related, such as active machinery.

Would it Need Soundproofing?: Those either living or working in these areas would undeniably benefit from soundproofing. Utilising soundproofing foam, soundproofing floors and soundproofing walls could make a real difference in either homes or offices.

NVM Soundproofing London Soundproofing 6

  1. 75-80> Decibels

Boroughs This Loud: Bexley, Enfield, Islington

Sound Comparison: A noisy food blender.

Why Are They This Loud?: The loudest boroughs in London can likely be attributed to a high population, though this isn’t the only reason for just high levels of noise pollution. Some areas, such as Islington, is renowned for being popular party spots, with some reports blaming an increasing trend of Airbnbs for the noise. One even stated that someone managed to hire a one-bed flat for a 200 person strong rave (complete with a DJ and a bouncer) which speak volumes about how bad the problem can be in these boroughs.

Would it Need Soundproofing?: It depends on how bad rush hour is, how well you’ve adapted to the noise and, frankly, how bad your neighbours are, but generally, it seems like soundproofing would provide incredible benefits. This may be true even if you wouldn’t have thought the problem was so bad; soundproofing might provide an incredible contrast! So, offices? Yes. Homes? Yes. Doghouses? Probably yes as well. 

The contrasts between boroughs can be shocking, with stats showcasing as large a divide as a whisper like 26 decibels (roughly 16 times the average of London as a whole) in Kingston’s Bushy Park and the roaring 77.2 decibels recorded as an average in Islington. The variations in noise levels are almost as diverse as the population of London itself, so you’re sure to have a completely different take on whether you think soundproofing is worthwhile or not!

Do you live in any of these noisy areas? Does the average decibel level surprise you? Tell us about how you find life living and working in London in the comments below, and be sure to keep up with the rest of our news and articles!

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