Background
Grace Group of Hotels Ltd proposed converting 92 King Street from a retail unit (Class A1) into a southern-style fried-chicken takeaway (Class A5). Because the site lies on a mixed-use high street with nearby residential windows within 5 metres, Hammersmith & Fulham Council required a noise and odour assessment to ensure the development would not cause loss of amenity.
Anderson Acoustics was appointed to assess noise and odour risks and advise on appropriate mitigation measures in line with the EMAQ+ Guidance for the Control of Odour and Noise from Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Systems (2018) and in line with the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (LBHF) planning criteria and BS 4142:2014+A1:2019 standards.
What We Did
Assessment and Design Review
We inspected the proposed kitchen and ventilation layout to evaluate cooking sources and discharge arrangements. The design included:
- Five electric open chip fryers, one rational oven and two burger grills;
- A Woods 63 MaXfan Compac extract fan discharging from the first-floor roof to third-floor height;
- Flue termination approximately 2 m above the eaves with efflux velocity of 10–15 m/s.
Odour Risk Assessment
Using EMAQ+ criteria, the assessment considered dispersion, receptor proximity, kitchen size and cooking type. A total risk score of 35 was given, indicating a very high odour potential due to fried chicken and burger cooking. This triggered a requirement for a high-level odour control system.
Odour Control Specification
We developed a detailed set of design and mitigation measures , including:
- Discharge > 1 m above eaves at > 10 m/s efflux velocity;
- Canopy overhang of ≥ 250 mm and grease separators with regular filter maintenance (2 weeks for fine filters, 4 months for carbon);
- Full grease cleaning every 3 months;
- Kitchen temperature < 28 °C and humidity < 70 %;
- Fan motors outside airflow and metal impellers for reliability.
We also recommended a planning condition requiring the ventilation system to comply with EMAQ+ guidance.
Plant Noise Assessment
The noise assessment evaluated the impact of a new kitchen extract fan and ductwork on nearby noise-sensitive receptors and concluded:-
- Background Noise: The area is dominated by plant noise from existing commercial units, with consistent background levels measured over a seven-day survey
- Predicted Impact: Calculations showed that, without mitigation, the proposed extract fan would exceed LBHF noise limits by 24 dB at the nearest residential windows
- Mitigation Recommendations:
- Acoustic enclosure for the extract fan, capable of at least 24 dB sound reduction.
- In-duct attenuator at the kitchen extract outlet, with specified minimum insertion loss across octave bands.
- Consideration of quieter fan models or alternative locations to further reduce noise impact
Outcome
A very high-specification odour control system was adopted to satisfy EMAQ+ standards. The odour nuisance potential would be rated low once controls are in place and taking into consideration the proximity to other takeaways (including Nando’s, Taco Bell and a tapas restaurant).
The Council’s environmental amenity concerns were resolved via the planning condition recommended for odour and with the recommended enclosures and silencers, the installation can also meet local authority noise criteria, ensuring minimal disturbance to neighbours. The development was approved for food use subject to agreed mitigation in October 2021.
Why It Matters
This project shows how rigorous application of EMAQ+ odour control principles and noise mitigation measures can turn a high-risk takeaway proposal into a planning-compliant operation. By demonstrating robust design standards and maintenance protocols, we helped achieve permission while safeguarding local amenity and neighbour relations. It’s a practical example of guidance led design translating into policy confidence and planning success.
