Data Centre Noise: What You Need to Know

The sources

A data centre is a 24/7 industrial facility, and it makes noise around the clock:

• Cooling fans and chillers — the constant background hum, loudest in summer.
• Cooling towers — water splashing and fan noise, day and night.
• Transformers and substations — a low electrical hum that can travel surprisingly far.
• Backup generators — tested regularly; diesel engines at full load during maintenance.
• Construction — months of piling, concrete and HGV traffic before the facility even opens.

Why it's worse than it sounds

Low-frequency noise is the problem. It passes through walls and windows, and people often describe it as a constant pressure or vibration rather than a sound. It can disturb sleep and is frequently the single biggest quality-of-life complaint from neighbours — even when readings sit "within limits" on paper.

How noise is (supposed to be) controlled

Planning permissions usually include noise conditions based on background levels. The issues come down to:

• Was the baseline measurement done honestly, before construction?
• Does the condition cover night-time operation, not just daytime?
• Are generator tests included, or conveniently left out?
• Is there enforcement when limits are breached?

What you can do

• Object to the planning application on noise grounds — ask for an independent acoustic assessment, not the developer's.
• Ask for specific conditions: maximum night-time levels, generator testing hours, and acoustic screening.
• Keep a noise diary — dates, times, descriptions. It's powerful evidence at hearings.
• Check whether the council has an environmental health officer who can investigate statutory nuisance complaints.

Noise is one of the most fought-over issues in data centre planning — and one where organised communities have genuinely changed outcomes.

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