Quick answer: An acoustic enclosure surrounds a noisy construction task, such as slab cutting or grinding, and keeps the sound inside instead of letting it reach neighbours, occupiers and other trades. On tight UK sites, a mobile enclosure on castors works best because it has a small footprint, follows the work, and can be up in minutes. It also gives you a clear best practicable means (BPM) measure for your Section 61 consent.
A London infill plot with flats on three sides. A hospital extension where wards stay open through the build. A rail possession with eight hours to finish the cutting. Confined UK sites leave no room for long barrier runs, and every complaint puts your working hours at risk. This guide covers which tasks to enclose, how to set the enclosure up, and how to use it as evidence with your local authority.
Why tight UK sites struggle with noise
Confined sites share three problems. Neighbours and occupiers sit metres from the work. Hard façades reflect sound into the street instead of letting it spread out. And there is no spare room for a dedicated cutting compound away from the boundary.
The Control of Pollution Act 1974 gives your local authority the tools to act. Under Section 60, it can serve a notice limiting your hours, methods, or noise levels once complaints build up. Under Section 61, you can agree those terms upfront through a prior consent, which protects your programme from later enforcement. Councils assess both against BS 5228-1:2009+A1:2014, the code of practice for noise on construction and open sites. Enclosing your loudest tasks is one of the most persuasive measures you can put in that application.
If you are registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme, visible noise control also supports your commitment to respect the community around your site.
Which construction tasks to enclose first
| Activity | Noise issue on a tight site | Enclosure tip |
| Slab and masonry cutting | Sharp, intermittent, carries along streets | Cut inside the tent; feed long pieces through the strip curtain |
| Grinding and finishing | Constant tonal noise that residents notice | Keep the curtain closed; follow the hot-work permit |
| Core drilling | Long runs at one location | Lock the castors and check joints before starting |
| Steel fabrication and fitting | Impact noise from hammering and fitting | Choose Tent 2.0 or 3.0 for longer sections |
| Kerb, paver and stone cutting | Repeated short bursts across the day | Fix the tent as a cutting station beside the material store |
Six steps to set up an acoustic enclosure on a UK site
- Map your receivers. Mark homes, schools, wards and occupied offices on the site plan, with the limits and named receivers from your Section 61 consent.
- Rank the noisy tasks. List which activities run longest and loudest near each receiver. Enclose those first.
- Pick the size. Tent 1.0 (2.5 m × 2.5 m) for one operative, Tent 2.0 (2.5 m × 3.9 m) for longer materials, Tent 3.0 (2.5 m × 5.2 m) for several operatives or multiple processes.
- Position it. Place the tent as close to the task as practical, with the doorway facing away from the nearest occupied façade. At 2.5 m wide, each tent fits inside a single-lane closure.
- Run it properly. Close the curtain during cutting, check joints after every move, and fit a ventilation kit with acoustic baffling instead of propping panels open. Anchor the frame on exposed sites.
- Measure and record. Log readings at the boundary before and after you deploy the tent. Your council liaison officer will ask for them, and they let you answer complaints with data.
Protecting your workforce
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 set a lower exposure action value of 80 dB(A), an upper exposure action value of 85 dB(A) and an exposure limit of 87 dB(A). The regulations require you to reduce noise at source before relying on hearing protection. Enclosing the cutting station reduces exposure for everyone working nearby. The person inside the tent still needs hearing protection suited to the tool.
Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, the principal contractor plans and manages health and safety on site. Building the enclosure into your construction phase plan shows how you will control noise exposure for each phase.
What performance to expect
Hushtec rates its Acoustic Tent range at up to 66 dB of noise reduction, using ISO lab-tested Hushtec Premium panels rated STC 32 and NRC 0.9. UK consultants usually work with the Rw rating, so ask Hushtec for the Rw value on the test report. The high NRC also reduces echo inside the tent, making the space more comfortable for the operative.
On site, gaps, an open doorway and sound travelling through the slab reduce the figure, so your set-up matters as much as the panels. Laing O’Rourke reported that Hushtec panels cut site noise straight away, letting the team keep working through the night on an urgent project and finish ahead of schedule.
Practical constraints and how to handle them
- Light. The transparent roof membrane lets daylight in, so operatives can see the cut line. Add the internal lighting kit for night shifts and basements.
- Dust. Respirable crystalline silica from cutting concrete and stone is a serious health risk. Keep water suppression and on-tool extraction running inside the tent, and add the ventilation kit for longer tasks.
- Fire. The panels are fire retardant and contain no fibreglass. Cutting and grinding inside still need your site’s hot-work permit, a fire watch and an extinguisher at the doorway.
- Weather. The tents resist water and UV. Fit the anchor kit on wind-exposed sites and upper floors.
- Space. Each tent packs down to a single pallet, so it does not eat into laydown space between uses.
- Communication. In loud zones, pair the tent with a Hushtec Hushbox so operatives can make emergency calls clearly.
Enclosure, barrier or both?
An enclosure contains noise at the source. A barrier, such as Hushtec Premium Barriers fixed to the hoarding line, interrupts the sound path between the site and receivers. Barriers work well for general site noise across a wide area. Enclosures work best for one intense task in one place. Most confined UK sites benefit from both: acoustic panels on the hoarding, and a tent around the cutting station. Hushtec’s client list includes contractors on HS2 and Tideway.
The Hushtec Acoustic Tent range
| Model | Footprint | Height | Best for |
| Acoustic Tent 1.0 | 2.5 m × 2.5 m | 2.2 m | One cutting station; rail and highway maintenance |
| Acoustic Tent 2.0 | 2.5 m × 3.9 m | 2.2 m | Longer materials and more kit |
| Acoustic Tent 3.0 | 2.5 m × 5.2 m | 2.2 m | Several operatives; core drilling; large-format fabrication |
Each tent rolls on lockable castors, packs onto one pallet, resists water and UV, and comes with a 1-year warranty. You can brand the outer panels with your company or client logo, which turns the enclosure into site signage.
Frequently asked questions
What is an acoustic enclosure for construction?
It is a structure that surrounds a noisy construction task, such as slab cutting or grinding, and contains the sound at its source. Mobile versions, like Hushtec Acoustic Tents, roll on castors and move with the work.
Will an acoustic enclosure help me get Section 61 consent?
It strengthens your application. Councils expect best practicable means under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, and enclosing the loudest task is a clear, measurable measure.
What is a Section 60 notice?
A notice a local authority can serve under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 to restrict construction hours, methods or noise levels.
Do operatives inside the tent still need hearing protection?
Yes. The enclosure protects people outside it. The operative inside still needs hearing protection suited to the tool.
Can I grind inside an acoustic tent in the UK?
Yes, with your site’s hot-work permit and fire watch in place. The panels are fire retardant and fibreglass-free.
How do I control silica dust inside an enclosure?
Keep water suppression or on-tool extraction running as normal, and fit Hushtec’s ventilation kit for longer or dustier tasks.
Will a Hushtec tent fit in a lane closure?
Yes. All three tents are 2.5 m wide.
Where can I get a tent in the UK?
Call Hushtec’s Europe and UK line on +44 777 111 5472 or book a consultation online.
Talk to Hushtec About Construction Acoustic Enclosures UK
Send us your site plan, receivers and Section 61 limits, and we will recommend tent sizes, placement and any hoarding panels. Book a free consultation, email hello@hushtecglobal.com or call +44 777 111 5472.
