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Original poster

Living by a motorway

56 replies

needmysleep · 02/09/2022 22:16

We are looking at buying a house close to the A1(M) The back garden is 200 meters from the motorway and although there are gardens in between the road noise is very noticeable. Every time we have been to view a been different I guess because of the weather

I am wondering if it's something you could get used to ... the house is lovely but I don't want to regrets a big decision ... advise please

OP posts:
hattie43 · 03/09/2022 06:21

I live next to a motorway and you just tune it out . In fact it's such a white noise I don't ' hear ' it now and not at all inside the house .

For all people saying about pollution I'd say it's better than living in towns / cities because on a motorway cars are not idling. The other thing to consider is that electric vehicles are quieter so with the push for those in a few years the noise will reduce .

From personal experience of the house is everything you want don't let the motorway put you off , I mean really where can you live thee days with no noise .

Ifailed · 03/09/2022 06:22

on a motorway cars are not idling

I take it you've never been on the M25.

hattie43 · 03/09/2022 06:30

Ifailed · 03/09/2022 06:22

on a motorway cars are not idling

I take it you've never been on the M25.

Not for years no .

carefullycourageous · 03/09/2022 06:35

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 02/09/2022 23:20

Is it only motorways that people have a problem with, though? If we're talking about the pollution and associated health problems, rather than just the noise, is living 200m away from a motorway worse than living 10m away from a busy main town-centre road, with constant stop-start traffic, like hundreds of thousands of homes up and down the country?

No, urban air pollution is often far worse, as it is so close to homes. Being 10m from a town centre road would be worse for both air quality and noise pollution than being 200m from the motorway.

But personally I'd rather not be that near the motorway if possible due to noise.

It will be much noisier when wet - and if in the UK we've had vary any rain so bear that in mind - and wind direction plays a big part, as well as noise shielding put in place.

carefullycourageous · 03/09/2022 06:36

Ifailed · 03/09/2022 06:22

on a motorway cars are not idling

I take it you've never been on the M25.

The M25 is not like the A1(M). Not everything is about London.

carefullycourageous · 03/09/2022 06:38

The other thing to consider is that electric vehicles are quieter so with the push for those in a few years the noise will reduce
Yes this will help with noise, unfortunately not so much with pollution as the majority is not to do with exhausts but tyres.

OperaStation · 03/09/2022 06:41

Don’t do it. I grew up in a house about 2 miles from a motorway across open fields and trees and the noise is a constant background drone.

BonesOfWhatYouBelieve · 03/09/2022 06:51

My in laws live probably less than 200m from a motorway, with a lot of trees in between. The noise is a constant hum in the back garden but not audible in the house at all (not sure if they have triple glazing but I'd be surprised). The noise does sort of go into the background and I don't notice it after I spend a bit of time in the garden.

I guess it just depends how much the noise would irritate you personally, and how much that balances out against the rest of the house.

Reagol · 03/09/2022 06:54

Muchtoomuchtodo · 02/09/2022 22:27

Didn’t you post this a couple of days ago?

I posed one, different motorway and it was 0.3 miles so you might be thinking of that one.

I looked up the air pollution and noise levels, they were shocking so I decided not to buy the one I loved.

I wouldn't, OP, the re-sale would be tricky too.

BertieBotts · 03/09/2022 06:57

I lived in one growing up. You get used to the noise, I hadn't thought about the pollution.

We did lose our cat to the motorway which was a very upsetting death. But her sister was fine and stayed clear of it, lived to an old age. My mum has since had three cats and they have all (touch wood!) been fine with it.

BertieBotts · 03/09/2022 06:58

Yes, it is noisier when wet and in winter (trees insulate less)

etchysketchy88 · 03/09/2022 07:05

You can adjust. I used to live on a busy road in the middle of town so heard all sorts as well as constant traffic. At the time had someone asked I would have said it's not bad and you get used to it. You do.

However having moved to a much quieter area. 7am and silence. Can only hear the birds. It's bliss. Don't think I could go back to living somewhere where you don't get at least some silence throughout the day.

RampantIvy · 03/09/2022 07:21

That's the M62 @WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

hattie43 · 03/09/2022 07:21

@Reagol

I'm not so sure resale is tricky , there are zillions of flats / houses near motorways and all occupied . My neighbour sold 4 yrs ago for north of a million so for everyone who couldn't live there others will .

Motorways are clearly not for everyone and I'm sure it's an absolute no no for some but having lived in London and now here the motorway noise is so much easier because it's not that intermittent jarring of sudden loudness like sirens / tube announcer/ air ambulance etc etc . It's a constant hum that you tune out . I also love that it's comforting it's like life is around you , if I lived in a deathly quiet place I'd panic everytime a twig snapped thinking who's this .

Each to their own I guess

Mosso · 03/09/2022 07:46

I would be concerned about selling it if I wanted to move. Loads of people wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Me included.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 03/09/2022 07:53

That's the M62

I know, @RampantIvy - I was just being silly; it's also far less than 200m away from the motorway!

CeeceeBloomingdale · 03/09/2022 07:53

My gut instinct was no way but then I have considered I have a dual carriage way not much further from me. It's on a lower level than my house, I also live beside a wood so they are a lot of tree and wildlife noises, I can't hear the road at all, certainly can't see it and the air quality is good here. There are also a lot of open fields so it's semi rural. It really will depend on how noisy and dirty it is, if I can hear it I'm too close.

Branleuse · 03/09/2022 07:57

I would live near a normal road,but not a motorway or that sort of business as its constant, and I have pets that go outside.
Air quality too.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 03/09/2022 08:00

Don’t do it. I grew up in a house about 2 miles from a motorway across open fields and trees and the noise is a constant background drone.

Great if you're in a position to avoid it, but there must be a huge number of homes in the country that are within two miles of a motorway or major trunk road. Somebody has to live in them!

It would be nice if everybody could live in the middle of nowhere, for the great quality of rural life, but with a private invisible motorway just for their use and convenience; but it's never going to happen!

MillyWithaY · 03/09/2022 08:21

We lived in a house about that distance from a motorway. There was a farm with outbuildings between us and the motorway, and a field, and the motorway was down a steep embankment. Yes there was a constant background rumble but we got used to it.

When we first moved in I remember a delivery man came and commented what a lovely house. I said yes, just a shame about the motorway noise. He said to imagine it was the noise of water going over a weir (that is what it sounded like), and that did actually work!

It didn't take long until we didn't register the noise at all, so it wasn't a problem in that regard, but it did prove to be a sticking point when we came to sell. But just as you will probably get the property at a good price due to its proximity to the motorway, so will the person you sell it to.

lisavanderpumpscloset · 03/09/2022 08:22

I'm buying a house near the A1... hope we've not gone for the same one 😆

Cherms · 03/09/2022 08:56

I live 1km from a motorway and I can hear it through my double glazing and always when outside in the garden or walking around my area.

Technically I can hear it when I listen for it because the rest of the time (15 years) I don't notice it at all. I have lived 25m from a trainline and under a flight path and hands down I would rather live near a motorway. It also means it's really quick to get to places because I'm 5 minutes away.

200m is a lot closer than I am but because the noise is constant your ears just tune it out as background noise.

The pollution aspect might be more concerning without lots and lots of trees.

Lonelycrab · 03/09/2022 09:00

It’s completely dependent on the lie of the land imo. I’m also 200m from the m3 and I hardly ever hear it, faint rumble at busy times, right now I’m sat outside and can only hear the birds tweeting.

The motorway here is slightly cut in to the ground with an escarpment. Also around 70-80 metres of mature, dense trees, and then a band of warehouses after that, so plenty to block it out.

My friend lives similar distance from the m25, but it’s actually above their house as the ground slopes down away from the motorway, and the space between is mainly open fields with a little band of small trees. It’s really loud and inescapable there.

ecochiroptera · 03/09/2022 09:18

I currently live right on an A road (rural and not very busy) and I'd never ever do it again. The noise is one thing, but the pollution is what's bothering me the most. The outside is constantly dirty, especially the windows, but also things like garden furniture. And on a hot summer day, you can really smell the fumes, so it doesn't feel nice being outside. We are currently selling our house and it's not easy because of the road. It's obviously priced in, but still a no go for the majority of viewers. So think about if you want to resell in the future, it might take a while to find a suitable buyer.

MorrisZapp · 03/09/2022 09:34

I fall asleep every night to YouTube videos of motorway driving. It's a type of white noise I find particularly relaxing.

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