SINGAPORE — Some relief may be on the way for residents kept awake at night by noise from 24-hour coffeeshops and other food outlets.

With the number of noise-related complaints rising over the years, the authorities are looking to review existing noise standards and guidelines.

A tender for a consultancy study — an effort led by the National Environment Agency (NEA) with input from the Singapore Police Force, Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Housing and Development Board (HDB) — was called early last month to look into and review the levels of noise generated by entertainment and food outlets.

Currently, there are noise guidelines for entertainment outlets specified under the police’s Public Entertainment Licence Guidelines on Noise, but there are no specific guidelines for food shops, said an NEA spokesperson. “But the NEA, relevant agencies and operators work together to manage noise nuisances/complaints arising from food shops,” she added.

Among other rules, licensees in entertainment areas have to ensure their premises are sound-proofed so that sound levels emanated do not exceed 65 decibels. Windows and doors must be closed when the outlet is in operation, except for when patrons enter or exit.

According to the tender documents, the consultant engaged will need to review current noise standards, guidelines and control measures for entertainment and food outlets, and “benchmark” these to those adopted in “mixed-used areas in other developed and highly-urbanised cities”.

The consultant will also need to recommend noise control measures which can be adopted into the building codes of coming developments.

The study will look at 10 activity zones where entertainment outlets and food shops are located. Three of the commercial areas include Bugis, Emerald Hill and Robertson Quay while the other two have not been confirmed.

The other five locations are 24-hour eating houses at HDB blocks in Hougang, Tampines, Bedok South, Yishun and Telok Blangah. They were picked due to feedback about noise nuisance from business operations past 11pm.

Noise assessments will be carried out at each of these areas on two weekdays and at the weekend during the “peak period” of 10.30pm to 1am.

The tender was called on June 3 and closed on June 17 and the NEA is still evaluating the bids.

Residents of Block 476 Tampines Street 44, one of the areas to be studied, said the 24-hour prata shop at their block was occasionally noisy after hours, but generally bearable.

Tampines GRC Member of Parliament Baey Yam Keng said he has not received complaints, but said the guidelines would be useful as workers or patrons of these food outlets may not be aware of how loud they are. “In the night, when everything is quiet, some noises may be more pronounced, but they might not know that,” he said.

Nee Soon GRC MP Patrick Tay said a resident had complained to the NEA about noise generated by people drinking beer at nearby blocks. He added: “If any new rules are eventually imposed ... it will be good if the new criteria include tighter controls on smoking and liquor licensing (timings when alcohol can be sold) and hygiene and cleanliness of the affected areas.”

However, Mr Baey pointed out the difficulty in enforcing guidelines when it comes to noise. He said: “It’ll be useful to see how we can help residents to build a case and to report such incidences because ... by the time the police gets there, the people might be gone, so it’s very difficult to prove.”