Trampolines in residential gardens are a source of misery for millions of neighbours for a variety of reasons including noise and privacy intrusions.
Requested regulations to be considered and implemented to include (though not exhaustive):
- Obtaining a licence to own a trampoline from local authority (with consent from neighbouring properties provided before a licence is granted, similar to planning permission)
- Licences to be reviewed/renewed at property owner changeover or moving to new premises - licences can be removed if breaches of the regulations occur, providing local authority with the power to control some of the issues.
- Any trampolines owned to be no higher than the maximum fence height of the neighbouring properties (eg 6ft or buried below ground) so that privacy intrusions may be reduced.
- Size of trampolines allowed depending on size of space available (to ensure that not against a neighbouring fence)
- Agreed hours of operation to allow neighbouring residents some time without noise (perhaps a curfew between 8pm and 8am etc)
Should consensus be obtained before a licence is issued, then the other issues around noise/privacy may be reduced and allow everyone the peace to enjoy their outside space.
These trampolines, whilst a source of fun for children, have become a misery for millions of neighbours who cannot enjoy their outside space, and privacy is impacted by the ability to see into their gardens.
Whilst lockdown has resulted in increased play, and children need to be able to play, the uprising of trampolines with no regulations often results in eyesores rusting away in gardens, but more importantly the noise and privacy issues they bring. By bringing in some regulations around the ownership of these items, it will help to ensure that anyone who owns one has been granted a licence (like with planning permission) and that neighbours have had a chance to agree before one is erected.
It would be appreciated if some regulations could be implemented in order to allow ALL property owners to enjoy their outside space, in agreement with all neighbours.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents published a paper in 2015 that stated between 200-250k trampolines were sold in 2014 - these numbers are likely to have increased in the subsequent years, but even if this remains static, this equates to between 1m and 1.25m trampolines around the UK today.
The same paper also found that a study of injuries sustained by residential trampolines cost the NHS around £1.5m per year (in 2015 - this number may actually be higher now).
Aside from the injuries that these trampolines may cause, there is a serious concern about the use of these residentially when they are not used properly. Should licences have to be obtained to instruct maximum size, location, use etc, it should reduce the number of noise/privacy related issues that arise as a result of these items.